Of Life and Lemonade
by J.Rhaye
Summary: You've heard that saying: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Amelia-centered AU fic follows her ups & downs and dealing with life & new friends. UPDATED! Chapter 37: Playing for Time
1. The Interview

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**_A/N: _**  This story is an Amelia-centered AU fic. It takes place in a "present" day, Southern-California-type setting (because that's where I'm from, go figure.) Canon couples with a few non-traditional pairings along the way. In this world, however, I am changing the rules a little, thereby causing some OOC-ness. Legal age is 18, not 21, and job restrictions to that age limit will also change. No one's got magic, but they've got something else. 

Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own the characters, nor am I making any money off of this, so please don't sue. Reviews are encouraged, constructive criticisms appreciated, and any flames shall meet the same fate as the Balrog. Enjoy! ^_^

Chapter 1 

**_The Interview_**

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"Oh! I'm going to be late!"

The physics final had taken longer than she had anticipated, and traffic back home was unusually heavy. She had briefly thought about skipping the trip home and heading on over to the store right away, but after a quick look at her attire (well-worn jeans and a faded Metallica t-shirt) she decided to at least run home to change. Amelia yanked her tan blouse on over her head and ran a brush quickly through her short black hair. Smoothing out her blouse, her hand ran over the locket attached to her necklace. She pulled it out and straightened it before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. On her way downstairs, she slipped into her sandals as she grabbed her keys and purse on the table and flew out the door. 

Luck was turning to her side as she jumped into her beloved car and it turned over on the first try. It was a dull grey 1965 Mustang Shelby GT350 and was in need of a lot of fine-tuning. When her father had asked her what kind of car she wanted for her 16th birthday, the answer came easily enough, but the search for one that could be fixed up took a year and a half. They found a couple that looked nice and shiny on the outside, but had absolutely nothing under the hood. Finally, they had found one just two months ago that wasn't too pretty on the outside, but with an almost perfect engine that just needed some tweaking, it was beautiful on the inside. Grinning, Amelia tore out of the driveway and headed back towards the mall.

Surprisingly enough, traffic was all going the opposite way and she actually arrived at the bookstore ten minutes early. She found a parking spot in the front, and dusted herself off before going in. Still not quite sure of where she needed to be, the petite girl decided to go to the café and at least get some tea to calm her nerves. As she looked down into her purse to find her wallet she walked right into something solid.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" She said sheepishly. Her eyes traveled up to find a pair of striking aquamarine eyes set into a face that, upon quick glance, seemed somewhat misshapen by scars circling his features. The man mumbled something incoherent and turned away quickly before she could say anything further.

I hope he's okay… 

"Hey, Amelia!" the redhead behind the counter said, her face brightening at seeing her friend. Amelia stepped forward.

"Hi, Miss Lina!"

"Are you here to see the wonderful Lina Inverse?" She struck a pose that they both found comical, then leaned on the counter conspiratorially. "Or are you here for your interview?"

"Both, actually. My interview is at 2:00 and I'm getting nervous. Can I have a chai tea? I don't want to pass out." She giggled.

"Sure, have one on me. But you'll have to buy me lunch when I go on break in a half hour. We can talk then. I'll go get Jack and let him know you're here."

"Thank you Miss Lina." Amelia smiled and accepted the hot cup before taking a seat at the nearest table.

Lina stepped around the counter and disappeared into the back of the store to find her boss.

Amelia sipped her tea slowly, grateful for the warmth spreading through her and calming her nerves. Her eyes swept the room and they settled again on the man she had bumped into, now sitting in a corner reading the paper and sipping an espresso. He was wearing a hooded jacket with the hood over his hair, so she couldn't really see his features. Curiosity mixed with concern as she wondered about the scars covering his face. What kind of horrible situation must he have endured to be scarred that badly? Almost as she processed the thought, he turned and looked at her.

Mortified over being caught staring, she flushed scarlet and tried to focus all her concentration on drinking her cooling cup of tea.

Minutes later, a short stout man with an easy smile and a bushy mustache stepped in front of her and addressed her. 

"Amelia?"

"Yes?"

He stuck out his hand.

"I'm Jack Denning, the store manager."

"Oh, hi, Mr. Denning," she replied, standing up and shaking his hand firmly. He smiled at the strength of this small girl. When he released her hand, he took a seat at the table and indicated for her to do the same.

"Please, call me Jack. We aren't formal here at all. And I apologize about the surroundings. Usually, I like to interview people in the stock room, but we've just received a large shipment, and there simply isn't any room back there. I hope you don't mind."

"No, Mr.… um… Jack. This doesn't bother me at all."

Lina came over and set a cup of coffee in front of him. "Thank you, Lina." As she turned to go, she winked at Amelia and gave her a hidden thumbs-up. He addressed the interviewee again, "Your friend there has given you a great recommendation, but why don't you tell me about yourself?"

She smiled cutely, being only slightly nervous about talking about herself in such a manner.

"Well, I'm just finishing up my Senior year at North High. Finals are this week, you see, that's why I'm out early. I've taken all honors courses through high school, and I've got a 3.9 GPA, but that's provided I aced that Physics final I took today. The last four finals should be a cinch… Umm… I want a full time summer job that can become a part time one when I start college in September. I'll be attending DBU."

"That's great. I'm a graduate of DBU also…." He smiled nostalgically before resuming his questioning. "So tell me, what made you decide to apply here at Book 'n' Brew?"

"Well… I guess if I had applied at a clothing store, I would say something like 'because I like clothes' or a music store 'because I like music' even though I like them both regardless. Of course I like to read, but I also like the opportunity to meet new people and aid them in their quest for knowledge. I volunteered in the school library the last two years, but although that was a wonderful experience, the books were older and I only got to see the same few faces throughout the year. I'd like to work here because I get to actually interact with a wider variety of people. Sometimes people say I'm too full of energy, and I guess I should have been a cheerleader or something, but I'm so sure that I'll be able to do anything required of me with all the energy I've got."

As she spoke, her voice quickly became louder as she put her heart into her little speech, and her fist was clenched in the air for emphasis. People in the small café turned to look at her, but she was not embarrassed. She was used to speaking in front of crowds from her debate team, and she meant every word, so what should she be embarrassed about?

Jack, apparently wowed by her enthusiasm, decided right then and there to hire this little spitfire. He composed his face, cleared his throat, and stuck out his hand.

"Well, I'd like to try out that energy you spoke of. When is the soonest you can begin?"

More than a little surprised, she shook his hand again as she racked her brain for her schedule for the rest of the week. She said the first thing that came into her mind.

"Tomorrow?"

"Sure! Let's go to my office and discuss your schedule and pay."

Amelia followed him, glancing back with a smile for her friend. Lina gave her a wave and a wide grin. She knew her friend would be able to get a job there with flying colors. Her overly optimistic personality sometimes got to her, but it was refreshing in a world full of depression and pessimism. 

"That was an interesting show. Maybe if the second act is as good, you should charge admission," someone said sarcastically.

Lina looked up and frowned. Speak of the devil. It was the poster child of depression and pessimism. She grabbed the empty cup and saucer from his hand and almost threw the cup into the sink.

"Lay off, Zel. Hell, I think her cheerfulness is the perfect counter-curse for the negativity you bring along with you," she said just as sarcastically. More seriously, she added, "How is the search going?"

"Nothing yet. Hardly surprising, though." He rubbed the back of his head through the hood, shaking loose a few more strands of his strange lavender hair down over his right eye. "It's hard without the resources I'm used to…." He stopped, cocking his head.

"I know. Just remember not to do anything you'll regret."

"Of course not. See you around, Lina." He turned abruptly and left the bookstore without a glance back. She rolled her eyes. That's just the way he was.

She had barely wiped down the counter when Amelia came bouncing up.

"Miss Lina, can you believe it? This is so neat!"

Glancing down at her watch, Lina grinned. "Of course I can believe it. Now let me clock out so we can eat!!!"

They walked across the parking lot to Lina's favorite restaurant, Tank's All-You-Can-Eat Buffet. Amelia briefly wondered if that was one of the reasons her friend had gotten the job here in the first place. Lina had gotten a part time job to fulfill her general elective requirement at school three years ago, but decided to keep it when she realized that with the money she earned, she could buy pretty much whatever she wanted. Her grades never failed, and since her scary older sister also had a part-time job, her parents never questioned her choice. Now Lina was attending DBU, majoring in, of all things, archaeology and ancient civilizations. Apparently those Indiana Jones movies really sparked an interest and fed into her desire to travel and find treasures beyond her imagination.

"Ooh, look, they've got fried chicken and lasagna and cream puffs and gyoza and chocolate pudding…"

Lina continued her worship of food as Amelia filled a plate with a mixed salad and a slice of pizza and another plate with lasagna and garlic bread and a drumstick. She'd just have to get dessert later.

There was no time for words as the two girls ate like there was no tomorrow. The younger girl had always had a big appetite, but upon meeting Lina in high school, found that there was another girl who ate as much as her big sister, Gracia did. It was refreshing to say the least. Amelia instantly liked the redhead, and soon found that Lina was smart and clever, usually talking her way into and out of situations, and if talking didn't work, her unusual temper would settle things. In short, Lina was brilliant in Amelia's eyes.

"Sho… wot di Gak shay ool be gooing oomowo?"

Amelia smiled and swallowed her food before answering.

"Oh, Jack said that for my first day, I'll just have to get to know the store and where everything is. He's still not quite sure if he needs me for the registers or customer service on the floor. Whatever it is, I know I can do it!"

"I know you can do it, too, but you've also got to learn to eat faster. I've only got five more minutes on my lunch break and we haven't even gotten dessert yet!"

Grinning predatorily, the two went to demolish the dessert counter. 

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	2. A Problem and A Solution

A/N: I just realized that the title might lead some (okay, more than a few) people to think that this fic will be a LEMON. I'm sorry to say that there won't be any lemons here. Also, I made a slight clarification to Amelia's sister's name in chapter 1. Nothing too drastic: just real name vs. nickname. And without further ado:

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, Pride and Prejudice, or the characters. Please don't sue.

Chapter 2

**_A Problem and a Solution_**

"The case of The People vs. Mr. Saygram and Mr. Gaav. It has come to the attention of the court that evidence submitted on May 20…"

"Hi, Daddy! I'm home!"

Phil looked up from his computer to see his daughter poke her head around the door. She was smiling, so that was a good sign.

"How did the interview go? You've been gone an awfully long time," he added, looking down at his watch.

"Oh, Daddy, it's only5:30. The interview only lasted a couple of minutes, but then I bought Miss Lina lunch, and then I went shopping, and I guess I lost track of the time. I was just so happy that I got the job."

Philionel scooped up his daughter in a giant bear hug and swung her around. His huge frame easily dwarfed her tiny one, and it was sometimes hard to believe that the two were father and daughter. Of course, all it took was five minutes with them to realize that Amelia all but worshiped him and that he loved doting on her.

"My baby girl's got her first job, I'm so proud of you!"

Hugging him back, Amelia laughed. "Thank you, Daddy." He set her down. "I'd better get upstairs and study for my English final."

"I'll send Beth up to get you when dinner is ready, my dear."

She smirked.

"Don't get so caught up in your cases that you'll miss the dinner call too, Daddy. You need to have a nice dinner and a good night's sleep so you can deal out Justice with a clear head."

She slipped out of his room and up the wide staircase to her room. The house had never seemed large to her, although it was more than 6000 sq feet over the two stories. The grounds were wide and spacious, encompassing a detached 4-car garage with a one-bedroom apartment built over it, an Olympic-sized pool and a large expanse of grass, enough to play tag-football in. Beth, the housekeeper and her son, Jordan, stayed in the two bedrooms downstairs while Amelia and her father occupied two of the four bedrooms upstairs. Gracia had moved out when she was accepted to Devereaux Institute of Fashion Design and Modeling five years ago, so her bedroom was empty, and only Lina used the guest bedroom whenever she'd sleep over. The Seryuun's were well enough off with Phil being a Superior Court Judge, but they lived more simply than their neighbors and tended to get strange looks whenever people were over to work on Amelia's "junker of a car."

Amelia flipped on the radio and changed back into her comfortable clothes, which included that same old faded Metallica t-shirt that she wore earlier. Her sister had handed it down to her when she left, and it remained one of the younger girl's favorite shirts. Gracia had bought the shirt at a concert all the way in Atlas City years ago. Of course, the concert was on a school night, and she didn't drive at the time. She had snuck out, hitched a ride with her friends, drank and partied all night, then snuck back in before her dad knew she was gone. It also helped that Amelia covered for her that night, pretending to wait on her sick sister who had shut herself up in her room so she wouldn't contaminate anyone else. Although they were very opposite personality-wise, they shared many of the same interests and secrets, and would always be sisters.

Before she could open her notebook to study, her phone rang. It was times like these that she wished she didn't have her own phone line.

'Maybe if I ignore it… No, that would never work.' She thought. 

"Hello… Hello?"

Silence. She hung up the phone and turned back to her notebook. She started reading the first set of notes that would probably be on the test.

"Although by the title, one would believe that Darcy was Proud and Lizzy was Prejudiced, it could be said that the opposite is true…"

_Ring_…. _Ring…_

"Hello?"

_Click_.

Instead of going back to her work, Amelia just sat and stared at the phone, waiting for it to ring. '_Maybe they found out it was the wrong number…' _Minutes passed before the phone rang again, startling her from her reverie.

"Hello?" she almost yelled, her heart beating quickly.

"A… Amelia?" an uncertain voice came through the other end of the phone.

"Miss Filia?"

"Oh, I'm so glad. I thought I might have gotten the wrong number."

Filia was only a couple of years older than Amelia, but they had become friends when Phil helped out Filia's family several years ago with some matter regarding an ancient manuscript that was apparently priceless. Phil was able to prove their right to claim it, partly with the help of the girls' research, and the two had remained friends since.

"… Miss Filia, you didn't happen to call just a few minutes ago, did you?"

"No, this was the first time I called. Why?"

"Oh… no reason, really. What's up?"

"Something, actually…" The girl on the other line hesitated. "You know how you wanted me to ask Val if he would like to go to the prom with you? I asked him, but…"

"He can't go, can he?"

"I'm so sorry, Miss Amelia. He's leaving this weekend. I completely forgot that he goes back east every year at this time to visit his family's memorial. I'm sorry…"

Amelia's heart sank. 

"It's okay, at least you asked. I'll just find someone else. Thanks anyway, Miss Filia. Will I see you at the graduation ceremony?"

"Of course, silly! I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"Great, I'll see you then. Take care."

"Bye!"

Amelia hung up the phone and let her head sink to the desk. Who was she going to go to the prom with now? She was very popular at school, and had any number of friends whom she had gone to other dances with, yet all her boy friends already had dates, and for some reason, no one else had asked her yet. Her girl friends tried asking their dates if they knew anyone… no such luck. Mister Val was her last hope. She began to wonder if she had a big "Stay Away" stamp across her face.

"Maybe I'm not meant to go to prom…" she muttered, feeling, for the first time in months, sorry for herself. Quickly shaking herself from her negative thoughts, she sat up and continued to read her notes.

Unnoticed, the door closed behind her as an older brunette silently retreated from the brooding girl. Beth frowned. If only Jordan were a few years older… of course, her son was shyer than a mouse in a lion's den. This would never do. Her little princess (and that was how the housekeeper thought of her charge) deserved much better than to be passed over like this, especially for one of the most important events of her life.

"Sir?" she inquired, poking her head into Phil's study.

"Oh, Beth. Is it time for dinner already?"

"Yes, sir, but before that, I happened to overhear Miss Amelia on the phone. It appears that Mister Val won't be able to bring her to the prom after all. She's up there thinking about not going to the prom! Of all the silly things! My beautiful little princess not going to the prom…"

"What? How can no one have asked her yet?"

Beth shook her head. Sometimes Phil got so caught up in his work that he didn't know much of what was going on in his daughter's life. Not that she blamed him, but sometimes she thought that was what happened with Miss Gracia. Anyone could see that the older sister never got over their mother's death, but at least he was spared witnessing her spiraling into self-destruction. Only with Miss Amelia's and their friend Miss Lina's help did she pull herself out of the crash she was heading for. Beth had suggested the Devereaux School, and Miss Gracia had latched onto the idea until she excelled and obtained a scholarship on her own. Beth wasn't too sure Phil understood all the reasons Miss Gracia left, but she wasn't about to let the same thing happen to Miss Amelia.

"Sir, Miss Amelia's been wondering the same thing for months now. All her friends are going, but no one at school has even approached her. From what Jordan said, it seems like the boys at her school are a little intimidated by her." '_And the ones that aren't are probably intimidated by her red-headed friend_,' she added silently. '_Even though she graduated last year, Miss Lina still leaves quite an impression on the weak of heart_.'

"Nonsense!" Phil boomed. "My darling little girl deserves to be asked to her prom like anyone else. Intimidated, indeed! I'll see to it that she goes…"

And with that, Phil picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Sir, I'm not so sure that's a good…"

He held up his hand when the person on the other line picked up the phone.

"Hello, this is Phil. Yes, yes, I know. Are you busy on the…" He looked up at Beth.

She sighed. "The 7th."

"…the 7th? No? Good. I've got a favor to ask. No, no. Nothing like that. My daughter needs a date. The younger one, of course! You remember her. She needs a date for the prom. Because you are an intimidating young man, and I want everyone to know that. No wimps for my baby girl! Hahahahahahahaha! Good. I'll find out the details tonight and I'll let you know tomorrow. Of course, of course. I'll see you then. Goodnight."

He hung up the phone, appearing very pleased with himself. Beth only half shared his smile as she bowed and reminded him that dinner would be ready in ten minutes. He nodded, but after she closed the door, however, Phil picked up the phone again and dialed another number.

The housekeeper shook her head. How was she supposed to break this to Miss Amelia? As she pondered that question, the object of her concern came bouncing down the stairs as if nothing in the world were wrong.

"Hi, Miss Beth! I could smell dinner before you could let me know it was ready. I must be hungrier than I thought!" the girl grinned as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Um… Miss Amelia…"

Ring… ring… 

Amelia picked up the phone before she could finish her sentence.

"Hello? Oh, hello, Mister Xelloss! Daddy's still in his study… Me? Uh, no. No, not really. Sure, I guess. Yeah, that would be nice. My dress? It's blue with silver trim. Oh, yeah, that's right. No, it's okay. I can get one. There's a flower shop near my work. Yes, I just got a job today at the bookstore. Tomorrow is going to be my first day. Umm… I've got to go now, Mister Xelloss. We're just about to eat dinner. Okay. Just call me if you need to know anything else. Okay. Bye."

She hung up the phone and turned to Beth.

"I'm sorry, Miss Amelia. I didn't think your father would try to set you up with anyone…"

Amelia just smiled, unfortunately, it was the small smile that Beth knew was the mask that held in the tougher emotions. She pulled the girl into a hug and patted her back gently. When she pulled back, Amelia wiped her eyes and the small smile was replaced by a cheerful grin.

"Oh well, Miss Beth. I know Daddy was doing it for the best. I'll just make the most of it, and Mister Xelloss is a really nice young man. I had hoped someone would ask me without prompting, but at least I get to go. No sense dwelling in what's passed. Like Miss Lina always says, 'Carpe Diem!'"

Beth smiled and they went to eat dinner, Amelia wolfing down her food as usual, and scampering off to study for her finals.

**Special thanks to **Stephanie** (you know why), **Ama-chan** (my first Slayers review – thank you! I hope you stick around to find the plot I'm s-l-o-w-l-y developing), **eedoe** (*hugs* Thanks for making the jump over and checking out my story!), and **Blue Lady** and **Valk** (thanks for the encouragement, I hope you enjoy!)

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	3. Prepare for the Prom

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own them. Please don't sue.

**Chapter 3**

Prepare for the Prom 

The rest of the week passed uneventfully enough. The remaining four finals were a breeze, and true to his word, Jack didn't assign anything difficult to Amelia her first couple of days of work. She got to know all the book sections by heart the first day, and even took it upon herself to begin shelving the books that needed to be re-stocked. After straightening up, she then wandered over to help out in the café and try to learn how to use the espresso machine. Lina was glad her friend was comfortable in her new surroundings, and tried not to monopolize her time so she could make other friends.

Somehow, during the workday, Amelia found the time to drop in the nearby flower shop to order the boutonniere for Xelloss. She still felt strange going to her Senior prom with a man that was seven years older than herself, but decided that since no one at her school had enough guts to ask her out, then she would just have as much fun as she could.

Friday was the free day the school had for seniors since they knew that the whole class's mind would be on the prom the following day. Amelia was guaranteed this weekend and the next off, but insisted on working Friday.

"I would just be sitting at home going crazy with anxiety. At least this way, I'm occupying my time and making money too," she told her friend as they both sat down for coffee and tea before their shifts began.

Lina turned her ruby-colored eyes to Amelia.

"Now, you're sounding more like me." She grinned. "Umm… I'm definitely not complaining, but I don't quite understand why you got a job here when you could have gotten a job that pays more at Phil's office. Besides, wouldn't that be better experience for you since you're going to be majoring in law?"

The younger girl only shrugged, absentmindedly playing with her locket.

"Yes, but I know if I had asked Daddy, I would have gotten the job without even an interview. I wanted a job that I could get on my own merit. Then the money that I'd make would be my own, not a handout for the boss's daughter."

"I guess I understand. Then that's why you wanted the car, huh?"

Amelia blushed. "Well, yes, and no. I wanted a car that I'd have to fix up instead of one fixed up for me. That would be too easy. I want to prove that I'm not a little girl anymore, that's all."

Lina downed the rest of her mocha.

"You're always going to be your daddy's little girl, no matter how old you are. Even though I told my dad that I'm planning on moving out next quarter, he's still trying to help me out by scouting out potential apartments. Oh well, I guess that's what fathers do. They never stop worrying about their little girls."

"I guess," Amelia said thoughtfully. "But sometimes, I don't know if asking Mister Xelloss to ask me to the prom was worrying about me or choosing my future for me."

"Don't worry, Ame, if Xelloss tries anything, he'll have me to deal with!" Lina made a strangling gesture with her hands. "The purple-haired shark… I mean lawyer. Doesn't he know that his hairstyle is sorely OUT of style?  Of course, if Phil trusts him…"

Amelia sighed.

"Oh, by the way, Gourry wanted me to let you know that the parts for the car that you guys ordered are in and he can install them whenever you're ready."

Her spirits suddenly lifted.

"Great! How about Sunday afternoon?"

"Okay. I'll let the Jellyfish know we'll go to your place on Sunday."

"Okay, I'll see you for lunch, Miss Lina." Lina had a strange way of making her feel better.

The two girls parted ways, completely unaware that their entire conversation had been overheard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amelia sat at the mirror, trying desperately to figure out what to do with her shoulder-length hair. Should she sweep it up off her neck? Or should she just curl it to frame her face? The last few dances she had gone to were more informal than this one, and she had just left her hair the way she wore it every day. But tonight was different. For some reason she couldn't put a finger on, she wanted to make sure she looked mature and absolutely beautiful.

Klutzy by nature, she had picked out a shorter dress, one that she wasn't likely to trip on. It was dark blue velvet with silver spaghetti straps that ended in weaving an intricate pattern across her bare back, echoed by the silver heels, strapped around her ankles.

She stood up and walked around before returning to the mirror. Her first impression of how her hair should be…

Sitting down again with her mind made up, she began to brush her hair up and into a French twist, securing it with silver chopsticks. Satisfied with the outcome, she began putting on her jewelry, the ring her sister gave her, the earrings her father gave her, and finally, the locket her mother gave her, tucking the latter into her dress so that only the chain could be seen. That and her ring were probably her favorite possessions because neither of the givers was with her now. Her sister hadn't returned for Christmas, with the excuse of going out of town with some friends, but she hoped that she would make it for the commencement ceremony.

"Miss Amelia."

Beth carefully opened the door and gasped. Never had she seen her little princess looking so lovely. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

"Miss Beth, are you okay?" Amelia asked worriedly.

"Of course, dear. It's just that you look so beautiful. You remind me of your late mother."

The girl smiled.

"Thank you, Miss Beth. That was probably the best comment anyone could ever make to me." Tears threatened to overcome her too.

"Oh, that's enough of that! I didn't come here to make you cry and mess up your makeup." She smiled, wiping away her own tears. "I've come to tell you that Mister Xelloss is here to pick you up."

"Thank you. Can you tell him I'll be down in a minute?"

"I'll let him know."

Beth went downstairs to Phil's study where the two men were discussing, generically, different cases from their pasts.

"She'll be down in a moment, Gentlemen."

Xelloss swallowed hard. It was difficult enough trying to get by being a lawyer, much less one that had interned for Phil for the last three years. Now that he was out from under Judge Seryuun's thumb, he has to baby-sit his little girl at her stupid senior prom. At first, he had balked at the idea, not wanting to be seen at some silly hormone-driven gathering, but then he realized that the Judge would be in his debt. Interesting, to say the least.

Now, though, he was finally realizing the severity of the situation. Twenty-five years old and going to the prom. How pathetic. He remembered his prom and how tongues wagged over the girls or guys who brought dates much older than themselves. How would his own office react to him going to a teenage get-together?

His negative thoughts completely vanished the second Amelia stepped down off the stairs and into view. She looked absolutely nothing like the young girl he remembered three years ago when they had met. She was still shorter than him, but the little dress and high heels elongated her legs and showed off the figure he didn't know she had until now. How could this be the little girl Phil was talking about?

"Hi, Daddy! Hi, Mister Xelloss! You look very nice. Maybe I should have gotten a purple dress. I would have matched better with you." She indicated his hair, trimmed and combed neatly around his face.

Jerking himself out of his stupor, he found his voice.

"No, the dress you have on is perfect. You look lovely…"

She smiled sweetly. "Thank you. Here, let me pin this on." Pulling out the boutonniere she had bought, she stepped forward and tugged at his lapel, concentration covering her face as she attached the single white rose to his tux. His eyes swept over her face and chest before he realized that he probably shouldn't be ogling her in front of her own father. Instead, he stared intently on the silver chopsticks in her hair. He could hear Phil in the background gushing over his little girl.

"I always knew my little girl would have to grow up one day, I just didn't realize it would be so soon. If only your dear mother were alive to see this! I know she'd be as proud as I am. Oh, my darling daughter…" he droned on. Amelia only smiled, slightly embarrassed at the show of affection. She used to enjoy playing along with her father too, but now…

"There," she said instead, brushing off invisible dust from Xelloss' jacket and straightening the rose at the same time.

"I… I guess you need this, then," he said, picking up a box from the table. He opened it and gave a silent sigh of relief that he let the florist talk him into getting a wrist corsage instead of a pin-on one. Amelia gasped as he took it out of the box. Her eyes shone with delight as he took her tiny hand and placed the mix of mini white roses and orchids around her wrist. A couple of blue and silver ribbons with tiny bells attached to the ends hung from the cluster of flowers and tinkled lightly as she moved.

"That's beautiful, thank you, Mister Xelloss."

He winced.

"Amelia, can you please just call me Xelloss tonight? I'd feel strange if you called me 'Mister' all night long." 

"Sure… Xelloss." She smiled. He offered his arm, which she took readily and steered her towards the door. "Bye Daddy! Bye Miss Beth! Bye Jordan!" she yelled back over her shoulder as they left. Beth was glad the girl didn't see her or Phil crying. Jordan, a mousy boy of fifteen, just rolled his eyes and went back to his room.

Amelia was even more surprised to see that Xelloss had a black limousine parked in front of her house. Her grin widened and she nudged her companion's side. He grinned back.

"You'll travel in style tonight. No sharing a limo with ten other people to save money. No borrowing Dad's car, worrying about dings and scrapes. You shall be a queen tonight, Milady."

He bowed low, and she giggled, hardly noticing as the driver stepped out and opened the door for them not looking in their direction. She slid into the back of the limo, daintily tugging the hem of her dress down as she settled in comfortably, her date taking a moment to remove his jacket before sliding in next to her. He hung up his coat on a convenient hanger next to the door before sitting back to enjoy the ride. Leaning over, he was about to whisper something to her when the separator glass rolled down. The driver half-turned to address them, but from her angle, Amelia couldn't see him.

"Where to, sir?" he asked, voice deep and calm.

Xelloss was about to answer when he realized that he didn't know where the prom was going to be held. Amelia came to his rescue and answered for him.

"The Observatory, please."

The driver nodded and the glass rolled back up.

"Would you like anything to drink on the way?" Xelloss asked, already pouring himself a glass. It was a screwdriver, to calm his nerves, although he wondered why he would be nervous about this whole thing. Trial court was more nerve-wracking than this, but for some reason…

"Sure," she answered, looking up out of the moon roof. The stars weren't that visible, but she was sure they'd be able to see them at the Observatory. "Whatever you're having is fine…"

Xelloss blinked then shrugged his shoulders. He knew the older daughter, Gracia, was a party girl and liked to drink, or so went the rumors when they were in school together, and she was only a couple of years younger than himself. Hmmm… maybe Amelia's like that too?

He handed her the glass and she took a sip. Her brow wrinkled slightly before she shook it off and downed the rest. Quiet music began to filter through the speakers, jazzy and mellow. The street lights flashed by, mesmerizing the girl as she stared out the window. Another drink was in her hands, and she happily sipped her "orange juice."

"So, why's a girl like you going to the Senior Prom with a guy like me?" Xelloss asked suddenly. Amelia turned to face him with surprise. His hands were behind his head, and he was leaning back looking up at the stars. "Weren't there any guys that were… closer to your age that you're interested in? I thought you'd have a boyfriend or at least someone you like."

She stared at the liquid in her hands as she swirled it slowly, then she sipped the rest. No, she really hadn't been expecting that question.

"I really don't know, to be honest with you. I've got some friends at school who I hang out with, and I really thought everyone had a sort of 'pact' to make sure we all went to Prom together. But it seemed that the guys got asked early on, so I couldn't very well go with any of them. I asked a couple of my older friends, but one's working, and the other is doing family stuff, so here we are. If you didn't want to come tonight, you really shouldn't have gone through all the trouble, you know." Her voice quavered, and she folded her arms in front of her and went back to looking out the window.

"No, you misunderstood me, Amelia," he countered, sitting forward. He reached over and hesitantly touched her shoulder. "I was just wondering why no one asked you before I did. Someone as beautiful and smart as you should have guys falling over themselves just to ask you out. I didn't know why I was the lucky one."

"Do you really mean that?" she asked.

"Yes…" but which part, even he wasn't sure.

Amelia's forgiving nature didn't allow her to stay upset with him too long, and she gave him a small smile. She was surprised when the hand on her shoulder pulled her in to lean on him.

"I want you to have as much fun tonight as possible, okay? Let's live it up and show everyone what they missed."

"Sure!" Amelia agreed, then she pressed the intercom button. "Let's go, Mister Driver! To the dance!"

The driver answered in the affirmative, but internally, he shook his head. Where did this girl think he was driving anyway?

By the time they had arrived, Amelia had consumed three screwdrivers and was well into feeling the intoxicating effects, however, not quite realizing that she was more than just tipsy, she merely passed off the sensation as her finally letting go and enjoying the night. Feeling very warm, she let her wrap hang loosely from her elbows as Xelloss helped her from the limo to start the walk up to the dome. As the driver turned to close the door behind them, his eyes flitted from Xelloss to Amelia to the two empty glasses left behind in the back seat. He frowned. Well, who was he to say what these people chose to do with their lives… He went to park the car and wait until the dance was over.

***Special thanks to **Cookie**, **hysteria82**, **Parron (Ama-Chan, **you changed your name!**)**, **Stephanie**, and **eedoe **for reviewing! You guys make this too fun! I get so tickled when I get a new review, and I appreciate the encouragement. Thanks bunches! Prom, here we come!  ^_^

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	4. Unexpected Situations

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Slayers or Escaflowne. Please don't sue.

**Chapter 4**

Unexpected Situations 

Amelia was very warm, but she was also very relaxed as she walked arm in arm with her date up to the Observatory Dome. The stars were much brighter up here in the hills, but for some reason, they seemed blurry. Xelloss was very personable, and his jokes were very funny, and she was still very warm. As they waited to take their pictures, a few of her friends found her and pulled her away from her date.

"Ame, who is _he_? He looks a lot older than us!" That was Eva, a beautiful girl with exotic features and gorgeous long sable hair. She and Amelia had been good friends since kindergarten.

"Oh, that's Xelloss. He was an intern with my father, and now he's at a firm downtown."

"He's a lawyer?"

"Yes, and a good one at that. Daddy said that he's never seen anyone turn someone's argument back against themselves as well as Xelloss does."

"Wow, he's that good?"

"Yes."

"You're soooooo lucky!"

"Amelia? We're up pretty soon." Xelloss came over and took her elbow gently. "I hope I'll get introduced to all your friends later?" he asked her audibly with a smile.

She could only smile and nod back. They took their portrait (a nice little picture with Amelia leaning cozily against Xelloss with his arms wrapped gently around her waist), milled around the massive entryway (all the while holding hands and looking at the displays with interest), then found Amelia's friends before going into the auditorium where the dinner and dancing was held. The huge room was decorated in dark blues and purples and silver, and it seemed as if Amelia and Xelloss dressed perfectly for the occasion. The ceiling and walls were covered in a very good reproduction of the night sky, complete with twinkling stars and a bright crescent moon hovering in the corner. The lights remained relatively low so that the candle centerpieces provided the main lighting at the table. It was such a romantic and inviting setting.

Xelloss noted with satisfaction that his date was turning heads on her own, and not just because of him. He found that he was enjoying himself, watching through smiling eyes the struggle that the boys and the girls went through when they saw her in her stunning dress walking so familiarly with an older man. His date would be the belle of the ball.

It wasn't long before they found their table and sat down for dinner, the band playing softly in the background. Xelloss gladly sat back and let her enjoy herself with her friends, gossiping about who was going to be prom king and queen. Amelia herself was in fact one of the nominees for prom queen, but she kept insisting that it was some kind of mistake. Sure, she knew a lot of people, but she really didn't believe she had done anything worth mentioning. Xelloss hardly believed that. 

Their meal consisted of a choice of filet mignon, herb-cheese stuffed chicken breast or pan-seared tuna steak, along with a mixed green salad, rice pilaf and steamed vegetables. Amelia, of course, ordered the chicken while Xelloss, of course, opted for the filet mignon. He had to admit, the prom dinner had gotten better over the years…

"So, what, did Amelia's daddy pay you to go out with her tonight?"

Xelloss leaned back in his chair to regard the offending voice, idly picking his teeth with a toothpick. Luckily, Amelia had joined the herd of girls to the restroom and was not present to witness anything he might do. The boys remaining at the table threw their napkins on their plates, ready for action, but this was Xelloss' problem. He smirked. Why fight when there are better ways of handling the situation.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced." He stood, pushing his chair back in the meantime. Behind him stood a trio of boys, a couple of dark-haired youths and a blond, who was obviously the instigator. The blond boy was just an inch taller than him, but Xelloss didn't bother looking up at him. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Xelloss Metallium, esq. And _you_ are?"

It was a very simple question, but the way he said it instantly had a way of belittling the boy. He took his hand almost hesitantly. Xelloss shook his hand firmly at first, then with increasing pressure, the smile on his face never wavering.

"It's Chad," the boy squeaked, easily succumbing to the pressure on his fingers. His buddies backed up a step, unsure.

"Well, Chad, it's nice meeting you." Xelloss continued to shake his hand. "And what exactly do your parent's do?"

"My… my dad's a… he's a plumber."

 "Company name?"

"Denton Plumbing."

"Denton… Can I assume _your_ last name is Denton? Yes? Oh, how nice. A _little_ family business. And your mother? What does she do?"

"Stays at home."

"Oh, stays at home to take care of you and your little friends there, huh? Or do they have their own babysitters? No, no. Don't answer that question, boys, just like I won't answer your earlier one. In fact, I think I'll just forget that question was even asked, because I'll remember that your father is the sole bread-winner of your family and that he owns his own little plumbing business…"

Chad's eyes went wide with terror, and Xelloss released his hand. He quickly clapped his arm around his shoulders and led him away from the table, speaking a little louder, "Nice meeting you Chad. I'll let Amelia know that you inquired after her father. Goodbye."

He returned to his seat, and a couple of Amelia's stunned friends began to pepper him with questions.

"Why didn't you take him down?"

"What was that all about, being nice to him like that?"

"Couldn't you act like a man?"

Purple eyes opened, and they instantly stopped talking.

"Would it have been manly to go punching a boy like that out in front of all these people, and especially in front of Amelia, just because of something as stupid as what dripped out of his mouth? Not only would it have shown that I have no character for reacting to insults like that by assaulting a minor, but it would have also shown insensitivity towards my date who only wants to have a good time tonight. I got my point across to him in such a way that anyone within hearing would have only heard me being polite to him. I think you needed to be closer to actually hear the crack in his hand."

He picked up his cup of coffee and sipped slowly, waiting for his words to sink in. Realization soon dawned on their faces along with knowing smiles, and Xelloss decided to entertain them with stories of when he attended North High.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the bathroom, the girls freshened up their make up and pulled up their stockings as they gossiped about… no, discussed their respective dates.

"I don't know. Brian's really nice, but I really don't see him dancing. Just doesn't seem the type. This will be just as bad as going to a dance and not being _asked_ to dance…. Damn, I hate wearing pantyhose. They keep creeping down on me!"

"I know what you're talking about… about the pantyhose, I mean. I spent twenty dollars on these things, and you'd think they'd at least stay where they're supposed to… But I don't think you have to worry about Brian. I've seen him dance before and he's pretty good. It's Mike I've got to worry about. He's got two left feet…"

"Speaking of feet, look at what kind of shoes Hitomi's wearing under her gown!"

They giggled as the girl in question, the school's track star, and Amelia's good friend since junior high, hiked up her dress enough for everyone to see. Sure enough, she was wearing a beautiful and stylish pair of… white sneakers.

"I didn't want to be uncomfortable, and besides…" she stated, hooking a lock of her short brown hair behind her ear, then she lowered her voice a little, "…I didn't want to be taller than Van."

Amelia fixed her makeup and smiled to herself. She was having a lot of fun and her friends were, too. If the rest of the night turned out to be quiet and uneventful, she would remain just as happy.

"So, how long have you known Xelloss, Ame?" Hitomi asked her, sitting on the stool next to her.

"Oh, I think I first met him seven or eight years ago. He had a project for some class with my sister. A few years later, I met him again when he began to intern for Daddy. He graduated law school a couple of years ago, I believe."

"Wow," the girl sighed, fanning herself with her hand. "That's amazing, that you met all those years ago and had no idea that you'd find each other again. It _must_ be the power of love!"

About ten other girls sighed over the romantic sentiment along with her. Amelia could only stare in confusion. _Love_? It couldn't possibly be that… could it?

"Alright, ladies, move out," a voice called into the salon. As a collective, the girls turned to see Mrs. Ul Copt, Filia's mom and a teacher at North High, poke her head into the bathroom. "It's almost 9:30. Time to unveil the King and Queen!"

Again, as a collective, the group got up to rejoin their dates at the table and find out the results of the vote. Amelia hung behind for just a moment, a little confused, but determined to continue to have a good time.

** Sorry this chapter is so short, but I had to cut the prom in half & this seemed as good a place as any. Special thanks again to **Parron** (oh, and the fun has just begun ~_^) **eedoe** (hmm… glad you caught my 'mystery driver' - stay tuned,) **Aisha C** (yay! A new review – I hope you enjoy! ^_^), **tamatama** (hohohoho! – no need for words _), and **hysteria82** (yup, Xelloss will end up doing what he does best – but subtly.) If you guys are good (review) and my beta isn't busy (hint, hint) then I might (review) just be tempted to post (review) the rest of the prom sooner… (review) No pressure, though. (review) No, really.  ^_^

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	5. Wine Me, Dine Me

A/N: Wow. Okay, okay, twist my arm. ^__^ Here's the next half of the prom. I hope you all enjoy. Hehehehehe…

Disclaimer: I really don't have to do this again, do I? Okay: I don't own Slayers or Escaflowne or Orphen or Street Fighter or any of the characters in those anime. A bunch of really talented people do, and they're the ones making all the money. No harm intended.

**Chapter 5**

**_Wine Me, Dine Me…_**

"… and so I threw him into the pool before he could peg me with the baseball!"

The boys erupted with laughter as Xelloss clearly was recounting the tales of his high school exploits. Amelia had even heard that story from her sister when it had happened. Of course, her purple-haired date didn't mention how they all soon found out that the boy didn't know how to swim, and that Gracia had to jump in and save him. As she thought back to the circumstances, the boy shouldn't have teased Xelloss with a baseball bat and ball in the first place…

"Amelia?"

Startled out of her thoughts, she smiled sheepishly when she noticed that she was still standing up. Xelloss pulled out her seat for her as she sat back down.

"I'm sorry, I was just remembering your story. It's strange. I was just telling the girls about that day. I think that was when we first met, am I right?"

He opened his eyes in surprise. So it was, and he didn't even remember that! In fact, it had happened at her house when he and a couple other classmates went to Gracia's house for their Art project: make a statue out of clay. Gracia, of course, had volunteered back in class to be a model, and immediately, ten hands had shot up in the air to be part of her group. Only Xelloss, Duane, and Zelgadiss hadn't raised their hands, and so were chosen to be her partners. By the time they reached the house, Xelloss and Duane had traded a few insults, and by the time they tried to begin, Duane was baiting the older boy and was clearly looking for a fight. Zelgadiss had tried reasoning with them, and Gracia looked like she was ready to tear either one of them apart, but to no avail. The rest was the joke that the girls had caught the tail end of.

"Xelloss?"

"I'm sorry, Amelia. _I_ was just remembering that day, too. I had almost forgotten about all the other stuff that happened. Your sister really saved the day, huh?"

She smiled. "We both are lifeguards, you know."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's always better to be safe then sorry." Her eyes seemed to focus on something far away then returned immediately to his face. "You look like you're having fun now."

"I am…"

Their attention to each other was interrupted when the band slowly stopped playing and someone tapped the microphone. It was Majic, a cute blonde junior, who was fairly popular with all the girls at school. He was dressed in a white tux with a mint green cummerbund, and sighs could be heard all over the room.

"May I have your attention please? It is now time to reveal your choice for Prom King and Queen!" Everyone began clapping, a few even threw in a couple of wolf whistles. Instead of building up the youths, who were obviously anxious to begin dancing, Majic decided to take the direct route. 

"The votes have been tallied, and your new King and Queen are…"

"Very dramatic, don't you think?"

Amelia smiled and opened her mouth to reply when the results were announced over her.

"… Ken and Amelia!"

She didn't realize that she had turned pale as a sheet. Not really taking the vote seriously since she thought that it was a mistake, she was completely unprepared for the sudden attention. Her table _was_ ready, however, and Hitomi and Xelloss both helped her to her feet and steered her in the direction of the dance floor. They told her to smile, and she obeyed, waving weakly in the direction of her table. Majic was saying something to the crowd about their tireless efforts for the school and their tremendous amount of school spirit, but she didn't really register it until someone placed a crown on her head and a fuzzy cape around her shoulders.

"Our new King and Queen will have their dance then, it's party time!"

"Congratulations, Amelia," her partner said when the band began to play, taking her hand and placing his free one around her waist. He began to lead her into a slow waltz. He was wearing a white tux, and his long blond hair was tied back neatly as always. Ken was a nice guy, and he was very active in a lot of clubs, as well as all those sports. Amelia was in various clubs too, but she had only played varsity volleyball and was on the swim team. Too short for basketball, not coordinated enough for softball or soccer, she had set her sights where they could actually land. Ken, however, seemed to do it all.

"Congratulations, Mister Ken! I knew you could do it." She smiled, only slightly uncomfortable in his arms.

"You too, Amelia," he said, grinning back. "I don't know how you can juggle all those honors and advanced classes as well as sports and all those clubs and the debate team that you're either captain or president or vice president of. And all those events that you plan for the school… Didn't you volunteer in the library too?"

She blushed under his praise.

"It's not that much, really. The other girls have done so much more than me…"

"Not at the same time, Amelia."

They continued to dance, exchanging brief school-related conversation until the song finished and the crowd cheered again.

"Thank you for the dance, Mister Ken. And congratulations again!"

"Congratulations to you too, Amelia."

The music changed to something more fast paced as the DJ stepped forward to the equipment set up near the dance floor and began to spin. Club music started playing and the floor was instantly a mass of dancing bodies. As Amelia made her way to her table, her friends' faces popped up here and there with encouraging words and smiles. She was surprised when she finally made it to her destination without getting her cape stepped on. Xelloss was there to greet her with a bow and a cup of punch.

"I told you, Milady, that you will be a queen tonight." He put his hand behind his head when she took the drink and gulped it down. "Of course, I didn't realize that it would become reality, but I'm glad that you are. Shall we dance?"

Taking off her heavy cape and crown, they went to dance the night away. Xelloss was actually a very good dancer, but he ignored anyone who tapped him on the shoulder to dance with Amelia. He whispered that Ken may have gotten the first dance, but he would be the one to dance with the Queen for the rest of the night. Her thoughts went back to what Hitomi said in the bathroom and she giggled to herself. If it were true, wouldn't Daddy be surprised?

Everyone laughed as Ken tried to teach Mike how to dance, much to Kim's amusement. Even the moody Van lightened up and danced with Hitomi while Brian and Eva were tearing it up, attracting attention from around them. The two lovebirds, Yukari and Amano were slow dancing, oblivious to the fast music playing around them. Eventually, someone began the old Electric Slide, and the entire floor was dancing along and learning the steps. _The Macarena_ was requested, everyone groaned, but played along. Stopping for punch throughout the night, Amelia slowly began to feel fuzzier as the dance went on. Did someone spike the punch?

The majority of teens, realizing the punch was indeed spiked, had rushed to finish the bowl before the teachers found out what happened. Sometime during the night, someone got the brilliant idea to get up on one of the tables (after blowing out the candle centerpiece) and begin go-go dancing, much to approval of the throng of teens. Soon, girl after girl got up on the different tables around the hall to join her in the dance, adding to the hoots and cheers pumping in time with the music.

A couple of songs later, Amelia felt a gentle tug on the hem of her dress. She looked down, and to her surprise, it was Xelloss.

"Amelia?"

"Xelloss, I thought you were gonna to dance with me…" she whined.

"I did, and I will, Amelia, if you come back down. Let one of the other young ladies get the chance to parade herself."

_Down? What did he mean by that?_

Her eyes focused on the dance floor, and she realized that she was about three feet above the floor. She began to sway slightly, but Xelloss held her straight.

"Oh," she breathed, and suddenly, the room was tipping wildly. He grabbed her hand and her waist and guided her off the table to the chair to the floor. Sure enough, another girl hopped right on up there to take her place.

Xelloss grinned now that he had Amelia back in his arms. He had to admit, the way his date moved so suggestively along with the music made him want to get her back in his arms as soon as possible. However, he was unsure whether it was to fend off the leers she was now receiving or if it was to keep her for himself. Her little escapade as a go-go dancer didn't seem to faze her, and she continued her evocative dancing in his, and only his, presence. After three more hours of dance music intermixed with slow music, the dance staple, _YMCA_, closed out the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amelia clung to Xelloss tightly as they walked back to their waiting limo. Although she was burning up, he had insisted she wear at least the cape while they were outside. It wouldn't do to have a girl in a short strappy dress walking in 40 degree weather like it was the middle of summer. Sure enough, the limo was waiting for them, the driver opened the door for them as they approached, then closed it behind them once Xelloss gave him directions and they were safely inside.

_Someone must have spiked the punch. How else could they have gotten even more drunk?_ The driver just shook his head again and went to his seat in front.

The second she was inside, Amelia yanked off her cape and threw it on the seat in front before collapsing on the middle seat. Xelloss shrugged and took the seat next to her.

"I'm sssooo warm…" she slurred slightly and reached up to turn on the air conditioning.

"I know… I know. Let me get you something to drink, Amelia." Xelloss leaned over to the bar. When he reached inside the fridge to get a bottle of water, he noticed that the decanter of vodka was empty, as was the bottle of tequila…

"No more alcohol, please, Xel…"

He looked up at her. She'd never called him that before. He handed her the bottle, and she opened it, taking a long drink. Sitting back, he watched her, mesmerized by her throat as she drank the water.

"You knew the punch was spiked?" he asked, trying to remember what he had been thinking about.

"'Course, silly."

"About five or ten different laws were probably broken tonight…"

"I know… but it wouldn't be prom without spiking the punchbowl, right? And I don't think anyone drank as much as I did…" She leaned on his shoulder.

"How many cups did you have?" he asked. He had only had one.

"I think five… no, six, counting the one you gave me when I was crowned… or… I think I lost track after the sixth one…"

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, just enjoying the ride, their thoughts on the events of the night.

"Amelia…"

"Xelloss…" they said in unison as they turned to face each other. They froze. Their noses were just inches apart, and for the first time, Xelloss realized just how big and blue her eyes were. Her face was flushed, and her lips were… her lips were… 

Soft and sweet, he thought as he felt his lips close on hers. They yielded to the gentle pressure, and he could feel her heart beating as he guided her closer to him, one hand resting on her almost bare back, the other finding its way to her hip. The stray thought, "_eighteen in a couple more months…_" was pushed into a far corner of his mind.

Amelia was surprised when he kissed her, but was even more surprised when she found herself pressing her body to him. His kisses were gentle, but insistent, and she responded to him, taking his lower lip between hers. When she let it go, his kisses moved to her neck, and his hand moved lower, caressing her thigh. She let out a small moan of pleasure, and Xelloss continued to trail kisses down to her ample chest…

The limo suddenly lurched down then up again, and Amelia cracked her chin on the top of Xelloss' head. He rolled off of her, clutching his head while she sat up, rubbing her chin and working her jaw.

"_Sorry about that_," the driver's voice came through the little speaker. "_I didn't see that pot hole. Everything okay back there?_"

"Yes, thank you Mister Driver." Amelia tried to keep her voice steady.

"Owowowowowow…"

"Are you okay, Mister Xelloss?"

_Mister?_

"Yeah, and you?"

"Fine. My jaw hurts a little, but it's okay…"

Having had some sense knocked into her, she finally realized the gravity of their situation. She wanted to have a lot of fun, but she hadn't meant for things to go this far. It was too fast for her. Way to fast. Maybe what Hitomi said earlier was warping what she was looking for.

"Amelia, are you okay? I mean really okay."

She glanced up at him with eyes full of doubt and worry.

"I… about what just happened…"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I don't know. You're so beautiful and happy and… it just happened…"

"Don't worry, Mister Xelloss. It's not that I wasn't enjoying myself," she said with a blush. "I don't want this to be the way… the way I get to know you better. I really shouldn't have drunk so much… if any at all. I don't want to do anything I might regret because I was… impaired."

"I know how you feel, Amelia. At least I didn't do anything either of us would regret in the morning." He said, but inside, all he kept thinking was, _Damn, damn, damn, damn damn! _His hand cupped her face. "But I would like to get to know you better, too." _Oh, much better, indeed._

He returned to his seat, and she snuggled into him, comfortable in his presence. Xelloss, resigned to remaining "friendly" and nothing more for the remainder of the evening, allowed her to nestle at his side as he thought over the events of the night.

A pair of aquamarine eyes glanced up in the rear view mirror at the cozy scene. He was glad it was only a pothole that was enough to break them out of their stupidity. A smirk played across his face before he returned his eyes to the road back to the Seryuun residence.

A/N: Whoa. Where did that come from? But never fear, faithful A/Z fans. I won't let you down. Just be patient… Again, special thanks to **eedoe** (you're right, almost better than chocolate…), **Parron** (I like that you like it so far!), **Cookie** (hope this was soon enough for ya! ~_^), **tamatama** (I hope I do everyone justice, but I'm glad you like my prom décor ^_^), **hysteria82** (you caught my subliminal messaging *grins* and you're right, she does act older, but I'll cover that in a later chapter… hmm. Maybe that subliminal stuff is working _too_ well,) and **Aisha C** (Xelloss is too fun and I hope you got a kick out of this chapter.) Now you know what to do. 

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	6. The Morning After

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers. People more talented than I am actually do. No harm intended.

**Chapter 6**

**_The Morning After_**

Prom Queen's hung over.

At least that's what she thought when she opened her eyes and quickly shut them again against the glaring light streaming into her room. Her head was pounding with her heartbeat, and she wished for a moment that her heart would stop so she could have some relief from this migraine.

Now that her mind was somewhat clear and her brain was sort of working properly, she felt thoroughly ashamed of herself for losing control like that. How could she, the daughter of love and justice, have acted so irresponsibly? She had a ride home, but what would have happened if someone drank and decided to drive? Oh, how could she have failed her own standards so easily again?

Slowly, images and memories surfaced, and she allowed herself a small sigh. At least she didn't do anything too stupid… Of course, she didn't know if being the _first_ one to get up on that table to dance was the smartest thing to do, but she lucked out when the other prom queen candidates followed suit and got up on their tables as well. And again, luckily for her, only Xelloss knew about their little "fling" in the limousine. She felt her face heat up at that thought, and she buried her head further into her pillow in embarrassment.

11:45 her clock read when she had the guts to open an eye and look at the time. She groaned. How could she have slept this whole time? She was a morning person… with the exception of today, that is.

Stumbling out of bed, she was glad she at least had some sense the night before to change into her pajamas before collapsing into bed. Her head poked out the door and looked up and down the hallway. Coast clear. She dashed across the hall and went into the room opposite hers, quietly closing the door behind her.

Gracia's room was exactly the same as how she left it. A little more girly than the owner actually was, the room was a pale, calming foam green color with white curtains and framed pictures of her family and friends adorning the walls. The bed was neatly made, the desk free of papers, and everything collecting dust. Amelia knew that Beth came up every now and then to dust, but hadn't been up since Christmas. That was the last time she had gone in there, too, to set her Christmas gift on her sister's bed for when she arrived. And there it was, resting peacefully on the pillow where she had left it months ago.

Shaking her head at her sister's absence, Amelia went to the bookcase and picked up one of the porcelain bears sitting on the shelves. Turning it over, she unscrewed the bottom and poured out two pills before returning everything to its place. Placing the pills securely in her pajama pocket, she returned uneventfully to her room and quickly downed the hangover medicine that her sister had bought in Chinatown. Amelia drank two large glasses of water before wandering into her bathroom to take a shower.

As she walked down the staircase, fresh from a nice warm shower, dressed in comfortable shorts and t-shirt, and feeling more like herself than she had that morning, she heard voices coming from the kitchen… but it wasn't exactly what she was expecting. A smile formed on her lips as she took the rest of the stairs two at a time.

"You're hogging all the bacon, Gourry!"

"You're just too slow… hey, give that pancake back, Lina!"

"Not on your life! How many times do we get to eat Beth's cooking, now back off, Blondie!"

"I never get to eat her cooking because you eat it all!"

Amelia didn't stop at the kitchen entrance to say hello to the two sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen. Instead, she ran over to grab a plate of her own and stab at any of the food that was left. She was lucky enough to get three and a half pancakes (since the last one ripped when Lina got a fork in it), five sausages, four bacon strips, two large spoonfuls of eggs, and a hash-brown. As she wolfed down her breakfast, she spied a whole coffee cake out of the corner of her eye. Hardly believing her fortune, she was about to stab it when a wooden spoon that came from nowhere smacked the back of her hand.

"As I told Miss Lina and Mister Gourry, that coffee cake is for later."

Beth appeared from the side door and stood with crossed arms in front of the coveted cake. The look on her face brooked no argument.

Not missing a beat, Lina snuck one of Amelia's sausages out from under her nose. Noticing it, the younger girl struck back, snagging the other half of the pancake that she lost to Lina earlier. Much to everyone's delight, Beth came to the rescue with two more stacks of pancakes, and another plate of bacon and sausages.

Hellos were finally made by the time the trio had destroyed breakfast.

"I wasn't expecting you two until later this afternoon."

"We thought we'd surprise you," Lina said nonchalantly. She was comfortable in shorts and a tank top, and her long flame-red hair cascaded down her back in waves. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Amelia was squinting, although it wasn't that bright in the kitchen.

Gourry scratched his head. He was wearing his old jeans and t-shirt, and his long thigh-length blonde hair was tied loosely at his neck so that it wouldn't get in the way as he worked on the car. He was invaluable to Amelia, eagerly sharing his knowledge of cars with such a willing student.

Just now, though, he had the unfortunate case of being too honest… and too clueless. "I thought you said that if we got here early enough, we could probably talk Beth into cooking breakfast for us."

"You dope!" Lina bashed his head with her fist and tried to smile sweetly at her friend. "What he meant to say is that if we got here at the right time, Beth should be making breakfast for you…"

"It's okay, Miss Lina. I probably would have done the same."

Gourry twitched, and Lina took her fist from his head.

"So, I heard you were chosen as Prom Queen, Amelia. Congratulations!"

"Thank you. I wasn't expecting it, really."

"Ah, I knew you could do it."

"So, Amelia, when did you want to work on your car?" Gourry asked, hoping his timing was right, and her face broke into a huge smile.

"Now!" she said, jumping off her stool.

"Don't forget, Miss Amelia, Miss Lina, Mr. Gourry!" Beth called after them as they ran out the back door. "I'm going out this afternoon and this coffee cake had better be here when I get back!"

"Yes, Miss Beth!" the trio called back.

Gourry went to his truck parked on the street and pulled out a large box, hefting it onto his shoulder before picking up a toolbox while Lina and Amelia watched from the driveway.

"So did you have fun last night, Amelia?" Out in the bright sunlight, the girl was still squinting under her shading hands.

"Yes, it was great."

"Xelloss didn't try any funny business, did he?"

"N…no, not at all, Miss Lina! He was a complete gentleman all night."

Gourry chose that moment to arrive, and they all turned and walked to the garage behind the house at the end of the long driveway. Lina dropped back a little, her thoughts on her evasive friend.

"Hmmm… Even sharks can look like dolphins before they strike…" she muttered to herself before running to catch up with them. "So what did you guys get anyways?"

Amelia opened one of the two garage doors to reveal her beloved car, the dull grey of primer now, but in her mind, a beautiful clean white with double blue racing stripes down the middle. Gourry set the boxes down in the empty space between the car and a red and black Kawasaki motorcycle. He pulled a box cutter out of his pocket and sliced through the tape securing the flaps. Packing popcorn flew out as he opened the box, rummaging through the Styrofoam for the coveted parts.

"Here!" he said in answer to Lina's question.

A shiny chrome and black disc was shoved into her face, forcing her to back up a couple of steps. As her eyes focused, she saw the little silver horse, and the circles surrounding it…

"A gas-cap?"

"Yup! And it's about time, too!"

"You guys waited two weeks for this thing?"

"Not only that, Miss Lina! Look at these!"

Amelia held up in front of her two shiny, perfectly intact headlights… Hmmm.

Ignoring the obvious joke, Lina only shook her head.

"You guys waited two weeks for these?" she repeated.

"Well, of course! Two weeks is actually rather fast to find such items in mint condition, or even near-mint condition!"

"She's right, Lina. If I didn't know people, Amelia'd have to wait months. As it is, she can't find anyone who's got the shifter she needs. Not to mention re-upholstering the seats and re-covering the steering wheel, and repairing the radio, and…"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh! Ask a simple question…"

Her two friends poured over their treasure, and Lina found a comfortable spot in the other section of the garage. In the area behind the other garage door, Amelia had set up a mini training area. Complete with a punching dummy, practice mats on the floor, a few folding chairs, and a closet full of a variety of sports equipment, Lina loved coming here, not only to practice, but to watch others practice. She had a third degree blackbelt in Shaolin kempo, which was amazing for someone only nineteen years old, but that was another story altogether. Amelia had once asked her to teach her, but she refused since the younger girl was better suited to kickboxing and wrestling.

Gourry opened his toolbox, ready to get started. He glanced up at Lina, who was already beginning her kata. For a moment, he was torn between helping with the car and watching the woman that he enjoyed being with the most in the world… Then he actually remembered that the girls always sparred in the late afternoon after they were done working on the car. Yes, it was a good thing he remembered that…

"Mister Gourry, shouldn't we start now?"

"Oh, sorry, Amelia. I kinda forgot. Okay, where were we?"

Amelia smiled her forgiving smile and reminded him of what they were doing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He sat in his car in front of the house for a few minutes, wondering why he was even there. Common sense told him that it wasn't really that important and that the postal service could handle this. Having just made up his mind to leave, he found himself opening his door and walking up the path to the front door of the house instead. The doorbell rang, and he shook his head at himself for pushing the button.

"Why am I here?" he asked himself for perhaps the fourth time since arriving. After waiting a few minutes for an answer, he rang the bell again. Nothing…

His curiosity getting the better of him, he peeked through the window. Nothing. Nobody in sight, no movement. Tuning his ears into anything that might indicate trouble, he faintly heard… music? Following his ears led him to the driveway where he saw the garage door open and a familiar redhead standing at the entrance with her arms crossed, yelling at someone crouching in front of a car.

_What's Lina doing here?_ he thought to himself.

Her irritated voice soon floated over to him, and he walked up the driveway.

"Arrgh!!!! Gourry! You can never concentrate on anything except when it comes to cars! Come on, hurry up!"

With a huff, she turned around and marched off towards the street, but stopped immediately when she saw someone coming in their direction. Noticing who it was, she ran over to him and slapped him on the back heartily.

"Hey, Zel! What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Hi, Lina. Is Miss Seyruun here?"

"You're here to see Amelia?"

"Yes…"

Amelia had wandered over on her own upon seeing a visitor and peeked around her friend.

"Can I help you?"

The young man seemed to shrink back a little before replying.

"Yes, Miss Seyruun. I'm Zelgadiss Greywords. I was your driver last night."

As Amelia was processing his scarred face and his words, Lina jumped in.

"Hey, you drove Amelia and Xelloss to the dance last night?"

He eyed her suspiciously.

"As I said…"

"Then you'd know if Xelloss tried anything fishy last night with Amelia here, right?"

Zelgadiss noticed Amelia's eyes widen in terror, and his initial sinking thought was that she finally got a good look at his face. Then her head shook slightly, and he understood and took the hint.

"No. Why, should he have?" he asked sarcastically. Lina rolled her eyes, and he went back to his original objective. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I found this in the back of the limo as I was cleaning it out this morning. I wondered if it was yours."

He extended his hand and dropped a small silver object into her waiting palm. Her other hand immediately flew to her neck, and she looked like she was ready to cry.

"My pendant. I didn't even know it was missing. It must have come off when I took off my cape… Thank you, Mister Greywords. Thank you so much!"

Not used to positive attention, he blushed and shook his head.

"Umm… No problem. And just call me Zelgadiss."

"Sure Mister Zelgadiss. And you can call me Amelia." She smiled that sunny smile of hers as she returned her necklace back to its rightful place. 

Lina put in her two cents worth too.

"And you can call me 'hungry' right now because _someone_ decided that he'd be a hero and dismantle Amelia's car so we can't go to lunch!!!"

Gourry pulled himself out from under the Mustang and wiped off his hands. Joining them in the driveway, he tried defending himself.

"I didn't put a manhole on anything, Lina. Amelia just mentioned that the car sometimes has a hard time turning over. I thought I'd just take a look at it. Oh, hi, Zel…"

"Dummy!" She whacked him over the head again. "And now Amelia doesn't have a car and we have to wait for you to finish before we can eat! And the longer I wait the crankier I get!!!"

"Well, would you have wanted Amelia to get stranded somewhere because she couldn't start her car?"

"Of course not, but do you want to see just how angry I can get? If only the bike wasn't out of gas… If only your truck could seat more than two people…" she growled. "Aaarrrgh!"

As the two continued to argue, Amelia glanced up at Zel.

"Have you had lunch yet, Mister Zelgadiss?"

"No, not yet." Almost reading her mind, he smirked and offered, "You want me to go with you guys?"

"I think if we don't do something soon, Mister Gourry will end up getting pummeled to death. Or close enough to it, and I need my car fixed."

Smiling, he placed a hand on Lina's shoulder, just as she was about to wring the tall blonde's neck.

"If you don't mind, can I join you for lunch? Someone can ride with me if there's not enough room in Gourry's truck."

Lina immediately brightened up.

"Really, Zel? Cool! You heard him big guy, clean it up and move 'em out! It's time to eat!!!"

A/N: ^____^ I hope you enjoyed! Special thanks to: **Cookie**, **eedoe**, and **Aisha C** for your reviews. I'm glad you liked the prom (Xelloss is a wicked imp, isn't he?). Things will calm down just a little bit, but there will be more Zelgadiss in the future now that he's been "formally" introduced to Amelia.

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	7. Getting to Know You

Disclaimer: Slayers are owned by very talented people. Not me. No harm intended.

**Chapter 7**

**_Getting to Know You_**

"Wow, you've got a Mustang, too?" Amelia crooned when she saw Zelgadiss' car parked out in front of her house. It was a brand new shiny black convertible, and the girl was dying to crawl all over it to investigate the switches and gadgets…

"Yes, but it's not as classic as that Shelby you've got in the garage. Are you a collector?" he asked as he pulled open the door for her. She sat down on clean gray leather seats and allowed him to close the door and join her inside before answering him.

"No, not at all. My Daddy brought me to a car show once when I was younger, and I decided then and there that the Mustang Shelby GT350 was the car I wanted when I got older."

Zel started the engine and smiled with pride over the throaty roar the car's V8 issued. He glanced over at Amelia who was happily settling in to her seat. He pulled out behind Gourry and Lina, the latter of whom was sticking her head out the window and yelling something about food.

"Sorry about this, but Miss Lina can get… violent if she's promised lunch at a certain time and doesn't get it."

They took the freeway onramp and merged into traffic flawlessly. The car was almost begging to be opened up and driven fast. Zelgadiss, however, stayed just a hair above the speed limit. No fast lane today.

"How much horsepower does this have?"

"390."

"Oh, wow…"

Several minutes passed in silence, and Amelia's fingers began to tap on her thighs. Nice and quiet ride. Nice and uneventful and quiet…

"I'm glad we've got nice weather today. I was afraid it was going to rain."

"Yeah, me too."

Two more minutes of the silent hum of changing gears. Maybe some music?

"You have a CD changer? What CD's do you have?"

"Nothing right now. I've got to change the magazine."

She sighed.

"You don't talk very much, do you, Mister Zelgadiss?"

He glanced over at her in surprise. People usually leave him be when he refuses to engage in conversations, but not her, apparently.

"I've answered your questions. Besides, what's wrong with a little quiet?" he muttered.

"Nothing, but when you meet people, you can try to make small talk."

"Just to fill a gap in conversation and make noise?" His tone was slightly accusing.

"No! So you can get to know the other person a little better. You know, find out about a person… make friends… You can never have too many friends."

"You sound like you've got a lot."

"Yes, I do. And that's from talking with people. I won't try and force someone into a friendship if it's not what they want, but it's the thought that really counts. I've made a couple of friends that way. You know, people should have a good support group around them, just so that they stay sane."

Silence descended again, but this time, Amelia didn't try to fill it. Her fingers just kept thrumming on her legs as she stared out the window.

Zelgadiss broke the silence this time.

"You seem to know what you want out of life."

"Of course!" she piped in happily, glad that he was actually trying to converse with her. "I'm going to be a lawyer just like my Mommy and Daddy were, then I'll serve the community as a judge! I'll get married, too, and have at least two kids, a boy and a girl."

"Hmmm… it's good that you have such solid goals."

"Don't you, too?" He became quiet, and Amelia worried that she had touched upon a sensitive subject. She didn't want to scare him after finally getting him to talk. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No. I…" He fell silent again, and he felt a gentle hand on his. He froze, unused to such physical contact, and she pulled her hand back to her lap.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't feel like it, Mister Zelgadiss…"

"It's okay. It's not like anyone couldn't guess the reason why." He indicated his scarred face. "I thought I knew what I wanted to do in life, but that really changed when this happened."

"Why would it…"

"Not very many people feel comfortable seeing a police officer who looks like he was on the wrong end of a chemical weapon bomb."

"Is that what happened to you?" she asked timidly. His grip tightened on the steering wheel, and she added hastily, "You don't have to answer that, of course. And I didn't mean to lecture you earlier. I know we just met, but I feel like I've known you for a long time. Any friend of Miss Lina's and Mister Gourry's is a friend of mine." Her smile was back on her face, but it was a nervous smile. She hoped she hadn't offended him.

"It's fine, Amelia. It's still a difficult thing for me to talk about, but, yes, that is what happened to me. That's why it's hard for me to have goals like you do."

"But at least you have a good job. You must be working towards something."

A ghost of a smirk played across his lips for a moment before it vanished, leaving the girl to wonder if it was really there to begin with.

"Are you talking about being a limo driver? That's not my real job. That's a favor I owed to Xelloss. I'm still a police officer, just not one on active duty right now."

"Oh…" was all she could bring herself to say, and this time it was the girl who didn't want to have small talk. Amelia got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She remembered the first few drinks that Xelloss had given her and knowing fully well that they were alcoholic, drank them anyway. Zelgadiss had witnessed that. After having more to drink at the dance, she and Xelloss… well, they would have done more if it hadn't been for… a pothole? The events came back to her so clearly, that she blushed and shrank back into her seat. Maybe Zelgadiss had seen that, too…

They drove for a few miles in silence. It was going to be a while before they reached the restaurant. After working on the car, Lina always insisted on going to eat at Johnny Pitt's, a barbeque joint near the University downtown that boasted all-you-can-eat ribs along with all the typical grease-pit food. For Lina and Gourry, the place was a tiny slice of heaven.

Amelia prayed that they'd arrive soon, so she wouldn't have to endure this uncomfortable silence for very much longer. Zel exited the freeway and paused to turn onto the street. Through the back window of Gourry's truck, it looked like Lina was trying to push Gourry's leg to make him run the red light, but Zel honked his horn and she stopped to make a rude gesture out the window at him.

"Are you alright? You stopped talking all of a sudden," he asked while his friend turned the corner, obviously under duress. He followed the psycho pair.

"Sure! Of course!" Forcing a smile on her face, she snapped out of her reverie.

"Don't worry about it, if you are," he said softly, watching the road in front of him, but stealing glances at her every now and then.

"What do you mean?"

"My job situation works well enough for me. The station calls me in when they need my services, and otherwise, I do odd jobs here and there." 

"Oh…"

His eyes narrowed as he considered her behavior. What happened to the self-confident, out-going, talkative, cheerful girl who was just sitting next to him a while ago?

"Mister Zelgadiss?"

"Yes, Amelia?"

"Umm… about last night, did you know… er… that I was… umm… that I had some… well, that I…" she stuttered.

"Yes," he stated, thankfully ending her suffering. But just as quickly, he started it again. "Did you know what it was when he gave it to you?"

"No. But I did when I drank it."

He paused before asking, "Do you regret anything that you did last night?" He sounded like a cop. Her face fell.

"The only thing I regret is… that I failed my own values by drinking… a lot… I promised myself a long time ago that I would never let anything get the better of me like that. I… wasn't as in control of myself as I thought. And with Daddy being a judge, I should have thought about what would happen to him if his underage daughter was found drunk."

Pondering her words, he said gently, "I'm glad you at least have thought about it. I didn't realize whom Xelloss was having me pick up until you came out of the house. If I had known sooner, I probably wouldn't have allowed him to bring alcohol into the limo. But the dance still had quite a potent punch, so I couldn't prevent everything."

Her eyes widened.

"You were the one who emptied out the decanters?" She hardly remembered noticing that little detail. "And the pothole?"

He just kept staring stoically ahead.

"Mister Zelgadiss?"

"I am very careful about the way I drive." He glanced over at her again and saw that she was smiling her true smile again. He quite liked the way it lit up her face. "But you know that I won't be able to bail you out all the time," he added with the very slightest of smirks.

"Of course. I'd hope you wouldn't have to."

They both smiled, and Zelgadiss marveled at how comfortable he felt with this girl within just a few minutes of meeting her. She was decidedly different from her sister, but they both had the same unquenchable energy that seemed to infect the people around them. A little like Lina, but a little more subdued and a lot less dangerous.

They pulled into the parking lot of Johnny Pitt's, and watched in near horror as Lina flew out of the truck before Gourry came to a complete stop, and ran straight into the path of a car backing up. But instead of the car hitting their friend, the hungry girl easily weaved around the car and into the restaurant, yelling an order before even sitting down.

"It must be hard for you…" Zelgadiss muttered, finally getting the feeling back in his legs so he could actually park the car and join their friends.

"Actually, it's not so bad," she chirped, although she was digging her nails out of her purse. After he helped her out of the car, they paused at the door of the restaurant, and Amelia grinned up at him. "The last time we came here, _I_ was the one who nearly ran her over…"

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. A car ride isn't the best place to get to know someone really well, but it's a nice start. Special thanks to **hysteria82**, **Aisha C**, **tamatama**, and **Lizzie** (Hey, new reviewer! I'm glad you liked it!) for reviewing as always. Just a short note on OOC-ness: because this is AU, I've adjusted some things the characters have experienced, thereby causing some OOC. I'm trying my hardest to keep them in character with the series, but I also have to keep them in character with my storyline. Thank you, hysteria82 for noticing that about Zel, but please, be patient. Their individual stories will come out in due time. (Don't worry, he'll loosen up. ^_^)

Click the button!


	8. Lunch For Four

Disclaimer: I do not own the Slayers. They are owned by very talented people, and no harm is intended.

**Chapter 8**

**_Lunch for Four_**

Zelgadiss was completely unprepared for the sight that greeted him when the food arrived. He had been relatively conservative by only ordering a pastrami sandwich, but he knew well enough that it would be more food than he would probably finish. The others, however…

Amelia had ordered the all-you-can-eat ribs, just like Lina and Gourry, but he was already used to the duo's eating habits. He could hardly believe that Amelia ate almost as much as they did, and was just as bloodthirsty when it came to acquiring and defending food. Petite, polite, well-mannered… Except at feeding time, apparently.

"Aren't you going to eat, Mister Zelgadiss?"

He looked down at his plate and realized that he had only taken a couple of bites of his sandwich before becoming totally awed by the spectacle in front of him.

"Oh… Of course."

Having attracted all sorts of attention in the restaurant was nothing new to any of the ones causing the commotion. Zelgadiss, although not used to extra attention by himself, never seemed to mind when his friends were present. Amelia, Lina, and Gourry never seemed to notice or care when they fed, and when someone had the nerve to mention it, Lina usually made sure they learned not to care.

Zelgadiss took a drink as he let the pastrami fall back into the basket. The sandwich was indeed too much for him to eat, and the second he opened his mouth to offer the remainder to someone, another fight ensued between Lina and Gourry.

"You shouldn't each so much! You're not going to be able to fit in your gi the way you're stuffing it down!"

"What did you say, Jellyfish???"

"You're eating too much."

"You're the glutton! He was looking at me…"

"No, he wasn't Lina!"

"How would you know?"

And so on and so on, all the while, trying to eat the poor sandwich out of each other's hands. Amelia finished wiping her hands on her napkin and turned to Zelgadiss, idly ducking a flying piece of pastrami. 

"So, are you doing anything this afternoon?"

"_Let it go!_"

"I didn't really have anything planned."

"_Back off, Blondie!_"

"Well, after Miss Lina and I work out this afternoon, we're watching _The Bourne Identity._ Have you seen it? You're more than welcome to stay and watch if you'd like."

"No, not yet. I'll think about it."

"_You need to lose weight anyway!_"

Lina's eye twitched, and the two sane individuals acted quickly. Amelia opened the menu and flashed it in front of the redhead's face. Zel signaled for the waitress.

"Which dessert do you want, Miss Lina?"

"Another pastrami sandwich please? And quick if you can."

Lina grumbled, but she could see where this was going and reluctantly let go of the sandwich.

"Don't think I didn't forget this, Gourry," she threatened.

"Miss Lina, look, they've got triple banana splits…"

Once the table had been cleared of the empty plates and the empty sandwich baskets and the empty dessert bowls, the group sat back, basking in their gluttony. Normally used to leaving when he was finished with his meal, Zelgadiss tried not to squirm in his seat as he waited for the trio to finish doing whatever it was they were doing. They were just sitting in the booth, in relative silence, if one would count contented sighs as silence. Maybe he could leave now and Amelia could ride home in the back of Gourry's truck… No, that wouldn't be right… Oh, someone do something!

Almost on cue, the waitress came by with their tab. Before Zel could pick up the check, Gourry took it.

"I've got it girls," he said, pointedly looking at Lina. _Ah, peacemaking… _"And don't worry, Zel. You didn't eat that much anyway."

The blond went up to the register to pay the waitress while the rest went outside to the cars. He gave the lady a hundred (his meals with Lina alone could sometimes reach that amount, so he was glad that he could feed four people for so little) and had her keep the change of twenty dollars as a tip. Better to have the people in charge of the food happy, especially when he came here all the time. 

When he got outside, he scratched his head at the scene. Lina was looking a little uncomfortable, almost like she wanted to be angry but couldn't. Amelia was looking a little uncomfortable, almost like she wanted to enjoy the ride back home but couldn't. Zelgadiss was looking a little uncomfortable, almost like he wanted to go home but couldn't. Gourry chose to let those observations go instead of bringing anything up. Lina was probably going to hit him once to satisfy her remaining anger, but only once, and then she'd be fine. Amelia was probably going to try to switch cars, but would ride with Zelgadiss once he put the top down on his car. And Zelgadiss… He was probably going to try to go home by sneaking away once they got back, but he'd stay once he saw the girls spar.

"Dummy!" Lina whispered as she punched his arm. "You didn't have to pay, you know."

Gourry smiled. "It's okay, Lina. If it weren't for me, you could have eaten earlier, right?"

A slight tinge of pink crept up her cheeks, and she turned away.

"Yeah, well… Thanks for lunch."

"Miss Lina?" Amelia whispered, sidling up to her friend when Gourry turned to talk with Zel. "You're not still mad at Mister Gourry, are you? If you are, you can ride back with Mister Zelgadiss instead…"

"No, it's okay, Amelia. I don't like riding with Zel. He's too…"

"Slow?"

"No, I was going to say 'cautious,' but you're right on that account, too." She winked at the girl, and smiled. "Besides, look. He's putting the top down. My hair would be one giant knot by the time we got back."

Amelia smiled, not only at her friend's words, but at the thought of riding in a brand new _convertible_ mustang…

And so, the four drove back to Amelia's house, Lina and Gourry, comfortable in his truck and Amelia and Zelgadiss, in a relaxed, wind-induced silence.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hi, Miss Beth! Hi, Daddy!"

Amelia bounded into the house when they returned, full of energy. The ride home had been nice, and she found Zelgadiss to be very polite. She was still a little embarrassed, but she knew that he was an honorable person, and that he wouldn't bring up anything that would embarrass her any further. She gave her father a big hug then moved into the drawing room.

"Hi, Beth. Hello, Phil."

Lina entered the house, a little wary, knowing full well the force of Phil's hugs. And of course, she was met with the full force of the pacifist's crushing embrace.

"How are you doing, Miss Lina? I didn't get to see you last time you were here! Are you getting taller? Or maybe I'm just getting shorter in my old age! Hahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That was hardly the case, though. Phil was a hulk of a man, and at 6'5" with broad shoulders, he easily dwarfed anyone in the room, even Gourry, who was just then walking in the door.

"Oh, Mister Gourry!" He released Lina and clapped the tall young man on the shoulders. "How are you doing? Still keeping the city safe, I know. And the captain's really letting you keep your hair long? I guess as long as you're well-groomed, huh? Oh, and thank you for helping my baby girl with her car. It means so much to her."

"Umm… Yes, sir."

Lina led the confused man to safety in the backyard as Amelia introduced an extremely guarded Zelgadiss to her father. Having witnessed the two previous 'attacks' he was not quite sure he even wanted to be introduced. And to have someone else stare at him…

"Daddy, this is Mister Zelgadiss, one of Miss Lina's and Mister Gourry's friends. Mister Zelgadiss, this is my Daddy."

Luckily for Zel, Phil merely shook his hand… although he felt as if his fingers were fused together when he was released.

"Mister Zelgadiss! How do you do? You can call me Phil… Wait a second. I know you… I mediated your arbitrations, didn't I?"

Zelgadiss wracked his memory. That whole time was so fuzzy…

"Yes, I remember it now. Greywords vs. Atlas City. The city decided to settle in your accident, correct?"

He nodded his head. _It's a small world after all… _

"I'm glad to see you're doing fine, young man. Feel free to make yourself at home." And amazingly enough, Phil left it at that. With another smile, the man allowed him to pass. He nodded again, and his eyes found Amelia who smiled and led him into the kitchen. 

"Would you like a glass of water, Mister Zelgadiss?" she asked. Surprisingly, he did.

"Yes, please."

She took a glass from the cupboard and filled it at the fridge. While she waited for him to finish, she pushed a button on the phone, and a clear 'No messages' answered her. No notes on the message board either.

"Thank you."

Another smile, and she led him into the backyard, still without a question about what her father had mentioned. Did she already know what happened to him? Was that why she wasn't horrified at his face? He suddenly became angry. Was that why she was so nice to him?

He stopped on the patio, and Amelia stopped and turned, too.

"What do you know?" he asked her evenly.

"About what?"

"About my accident."

She looked confused. "You said it was a chemical weapon bomb, right?"

"What else?"

"What do you mean, 'what else?' That's all you told me."

"Did your father tell you anything?"

Her brows dipped down, an uncharacteristic anger suddenly filling her eyes. Her voice was now a harsh whisper.

"That's unjust of you! My Daddy's work is his work. I don't get involved with what he's doing unless he asks for my help, and I've only done that twice for him! Neither one was your case, so you can rest easy that I don't know anything about you other than what you've told me today. I was trying to be respectful of your privacy by not saying anything or asking any questions." 

The fire slowly went out of her eyes and she turned away tiredly. "Believe me, I know how it feels, Mister Zelgadiss. I was just trying to be nice." 

"Hey, what're you guys doing? We've got stuff to set up!" Lina bellowed from the garage. Almost as if her little tirade had never happened, Amelia bounced over to help her friend, offering a small apology. Zelgadiss merely shrugged, and Lina continued. "Whatever. Anyway, Gourry's busy right now, and Amelia and I have to change, so Zel, that leaves you." She shoved the huge folded mat into his arms. "Set up in the grass between the pool and the garage. We'll be down in a few minutes."

With that, the girls disappeared back into the house, leaving an extremely confused young man holding a blue and white striped mat. Before he could take a step, though, Lina ran back outside and poked him in the chest.

"Don't even think about skipping out on us either, buster!" And with a wink, she was off.

If he knew her ten years, he still didn't think he'd ever figure her out. He grumbled as he opened the mat and positioned it on the grass. Now what was he supposed to do? He wasn't Lina's lackey. He didn't answer to her. Going back in the garage, he found another striped mat and brought it outside, setting it up beside the other. He was supposed to be a heartless sniper and SWAT team member. He shouldn't be here, playing butler for a couple of girls.

After positioning the third and final mat (he may not have wanted to be there, but he wasn't stupid enough to tempt Lina's wrath), he stepped back and joined Gourry who was still halfway under Amelia's car.

"Are the girls down yet?" he asked, sensing his friend's presence.

"No. I just finished setting up those mats. What's going on, anyway?"

Gourry was quiet for a moment while he finished tightening the nut, and he slid out from under the car.

"They're going to fight," he said with a grin.

"What? Did something happen that I didn't notice?"

"Nope. They always spar together. I don't think they practice as much as they should, but they've been doing this as long as I've known them."

"Really?" When Gourry nodded and went to the sink to wash his hands, Zel briefly considered his options. Stay and watch girls fight… Go home and watch TV… Stay and watch girls fight… Go home and watch TV… 

He walked down the driveway back to his car, and wouldn't luck have it? The girls, now dressed in gi's, decided to come out just then and Lina, seeing him walking away, immediately pounced on him, yelling in his ear and slamming him on his back.

"Hellooooo!!! Just where do you think you're going, mister? Didn't I say that you'd better not try and sneak away? Just for that, I think I'll take out some of my energy on you…" She pushed the sleeve of her gi up her arm, readying her fist.

"Miss Lina! I'm sure he has a perfectly reasonable explanation for trying to leave. You don't have to hit him…"

Zel calmly began blocking her punches.

"If you'd stop jumping to conclusions, Lina, I'd have told you that I was going back to my car so I could put the top back up. Amelia invited me to stay and watch _The Bourne Identity _this afternoon, and _if_ I stay that long, I don't want the top down when it gets dark. Is that okay with you, Your Highness?"

Caught between being embarrassed and being irked, Lina stopped her attack and instead of apologizing, just dismissed him with a wave of her hand. 

"Just make sure it doesn't happen again," she said with a slight blush, and she and Amelia went over to the mats as he put the top back up on his car.

A/N: Johnny Pitt's is a fictional place that is actually a combination of two great little 'dives' in Southern California: Johnnie's Restaurant in Culver City and Chris & Pitt's in Bellflower. If you're ever in the area and want some great 'grease pit' food (the pastrami is to die for!) Johnnie's is great, and for yummy barbeque food (especially the ribs!) then Chris & Pitt's is great. They are cash-only establishments, and the waitresses can seem gruff at first, but they really are very nice… Damn, now I'm hungry…

Special thanks to **eedoe **(I'm glad you're enjoying my story – I'm thoroughly enjoying yours! *winks*), **Pogo** (new reviewer! I'm glad you like it so far!), **Aisha C **(THANK YOU! – you're too sweet), **Kaeru Shisho** (I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy! You were a huge inspiration for this story, and I couldn't think of a better way to have Zel's "disfigurement" than with chemical burns. You deserve all the credit for that one!), **Valk** (glad to see you again! I hope you continue to enjoy!), and **tamatama** (I'm blushing ^_^) for reviewing. Your continued reviews and support is why I love writing!

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	9. A Show and Dinner and a Show

Disclaimer time: I don't own Slayers or the characters. Don't sue.

**Chapter 9**

**_A Show… And Dinner and a Show_**

The late afternoon sun shone down on a familiar sight, something that always occurred almost every Sunday afternoon for the past five years. Two girls squared off against each other, one with hair so black it almost shone blue, the other with hair that caught the sun's rays and became a tamed fire. Amelia wore a white gi with a brown belt while Lina wore a black gi with a black belt. Concentration showed on both faces, then the redhead smirked and charged.

Lina dropped low and went in for a leg sweep, but Amelia easily jumped and kicked out, far from connecting with her target. She pulled back then poked a few jabs which were blocked, but the last one was followed up by an elbow which forced Lina back. She fought back, causing Amelia to try to block several attacks at once. Lina stepped left, spun, and caught Amelia on the shoulder with a high roundhouse kick before following up with another kick to her side. She took the hits well, and was quick enough to hook her arm around Lina's leg. She kicked out and swept her leg out from under her. With a nod of approval, Lina squared off again with Amelia, but this time, she had _that _look that meant pain was on the way. Amelia cringed, but held firm.

Gourry and Zelgadiss watched the fight, the former sitting back, enjoying the grace and determination that both the girls showed, the latter sitting forward, awed over the fact that these two girls could fight so harshly and yet not hurt each other. That and the fact that it was two girls fighting.

Their styles were totally different, but he could tell that some of their moves were very similar. Lina was kempo, fluid and powerful, while Amelia was kickboxing, quick knees and elbows and… was that a suplex??? And there's a… pile driver?

Zel's head hurt. This girl's fighting style was a mish mash of different styles, some of which made no sense. Lina was now retaliating by putting Amelia into some kind of hold that looked painful: her hand was behind her back and her foot was up by her head. She tapped her hand on the mat and Lina released her.

"I'm pooped," Lina said, flopping down in a seat next to Gourry.

"But Miss Lina, I'm not done yet!"

She seemed to consider for a moment, then slapped the blonde on the back.

"Here, fight Gourry. Go easy on him."

Confused, her friend just stood and went to see Amelia where the two spoke for a moment before squaring off.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Zel asked Lina as she took the vacant seat next to him.

"She won't beat him up too badly."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"She's fine, Zel. You've got to understand something about Amelia: she's a lot stronger than she looks. It might not seem that way because of her height and the way she carries herself, but she knows how to take care of herself in most respects."

They watched as Gourry tried dodging Amelia's punches. He was too much of a gentleman to punch back very hard, but they kept their little boxing match interesting. It became pretty clear that Amelia learned some of her boxing from Gourry.

"So, how much did she have to drink last night?"

Zel looked at her, only slightly surprised. Lina was very intuitive about everything, it seemed.

"How do you know?"

"I've known her a long time, Zel, and I also knew her sister. Naga* was better at drinking, but Amelia was better at hiding it. She was out late, but not late enough for her to sleep in until 12:00 and for her to wince against the sun like a vampire. I know she drank last night, but how much and what happened, I'm not sure. That's where you come in."

*(A/N: For those of you who don't know, Naga is Gracia's nickname.)

"What makes you think I know anything?"

"You're a cop, through and through, Zel. You're better than most people at noticing the details that others tend to miss, so I know you saw something."

He sighed. When Lina got like this, there wasn't much that could distract her from her cause.

"The punch was spiked. I don't know how much she had, but she appeared intoxicated when they returned to the limo." He reported.

"That was all? Nothing… happened, did it?" Her eyes were hard, glinting with barely suppressed anger. It was obvious that the girl was protective of her friend, as she was with all her friends, but it seemed even more so with Amelia (which was a little strange considering that she had just told him that she could take care of herself.) He thought briefly of telling her the whole truth, but remembering the fear in Amelia's eyes at the possibility of him telling Lina, decided upon a more diplomatic approach.

"He didn't take advantage of her, Lina. You know I wouldn't lie to you."

She seemed to calm down slightly, and her eyes softened.

"I just worry about her sometimes."

"A lot more than just sometimes, I'd wager." He smiled.

"I've got my reasons." She returned the smirk.

"As we all do…"

Amelia bounced back, leading Gourry, who looked like he got the bad end of the deal. She looked happy now, and even addressed Zelgadiss without a trace of the anger she had before.

"So, have you decided to stay and watch the movie, Mister Zelgadiss?"

"Well…"

"How about sparring with Amelia while you think about it, Zel?"

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

Lina pushed him out of his chair.

"Come on! And before you can say that you don't have a change of clothes, there's a gi in your size in the locker in the garage, and you can change in the apartment upstairs." She pointed to the rooms above the garage.

"I don't think I can fight someone I barely know…"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. If you don't fight her, you can always fight me." Her grin was so maniacal that he visibly winced. Reluctantly, he went into the garage and pulled out said gi. Like a man walking down death row, he marched outside and up the staircase on the side of the garage. Amelia was waiting for him at the top, having apparently unlocked the door for him.

"I'm sorry, Mister Zelgadiss. I didn't think Miss Lina would do something like that. We can make it short if you'd like…"

"It's okay, Amelia. I haven't practiced with anyone in months. It'll be nice to see how much I've remembered."

He stepped into the apartment and was pleasantly surprised. It held a kitchenette and a living room as well as a bedroom and bathroom, and although it was clear that no one had inhabited it in several months, it still seemed very cozy and warm. The windows overlooked both the driveway and the large backyard, and from here, he could see Amelia walking out with an icepack for Gourry. He grinned and changed quickly, somehow looking forward to this little match.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Go easy on me?" Zelgadiss grinned as he bowed, knowing that she probably wouldn't. Amelia merely smiled and returned his bow.

They stood in place for several seconds, just eyeing each other. _End it quickly, _he thought, then made his move, rushing towards her to knee her in the gut. Instead of connecting, she turned into him at the last second, taking the blow to her side, but it allowed her to grab his gi top and flip him over. He landed on his back with a thud and barely rolled out of the way when she followed up with a punch to his face. He caught her with a leg sweep, but she jumped back up with a kick to his hip then his arm. Blocked easily. As they exchanged kicks and punches, he noticed that her style molded to his, more kickboxing than boxing or wrestling. It occurred to him that Amelia learned what she could out of her friends and adapted her style accordingly. He wondered idly if she would be interested in learning Muay Tuay one day. 

He threw a few more punches at her, which she dodged, just to get in close. His hand closed around her arm as she tried to block and he spun her around, pulling her arm up behind her.

Amelia was breathing hard, but if the clenched hand that he was holding was any indication of how she felt, this fight was not over yet. Suddenly, she shoved him back hard, and as her arm extended, she spun around and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards her own knee to his groin. _Oh, this is going to hurt…_

Nothing happened.

"Mister Zelgadiss?"

He opened his eyes. He was just inches away from Amelia's face, and despite the situation, he could feel his face heat up. But why wasn't he down on the ground moaning in agony? He looked down at where her leg should have been and found it instead pulled up close to her body. She was standing on one foot, using him to balance her out. His chest was resting on her shin, and her knee was thankfully away from any of his more vital spots.

"Why didn't you take me down?" he asked, still confused.

"You said to go easy on you, right?" She winked and released him, and both sank down to rest on the mat.

"Great job, Amelia!" Lina came over and pat her on the back. The younger girl smiled up at her. "Now let's go inside. I think Beth's cooking again!" With a gleam in her eye, Lina ran inside, followed closely by Gourry.

"So would you like to stay to watch the movie, Mister Zelgadiss? You're welcome to stay for dinner and the movie."

"Even after what I've said to you?"

She looked a little uncomfortable, but then smiled again. "Look, everyone deserves a second chance as long as you've got love and justice in your heart. Besides, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't look past these little incidences?"

"I'm really sorry I misjudged you earlier. I'm not used to having very many friends, so it's hard to know how to act sometimes."

"That's why I'd like it if you'd count me as your friend, too. That way, if you do anything unjust or unfriendly, I'll be here to whip you into shape." She smirked again as she cracked her knuckles. Yes, definitely Lina-influenced.

He stood and offered her a hand up, which she gladly took, and stood, dusting off her bottom.

"You and Lina both." 

He helped her put the mats back into the garage and went upstairs to change while she closed up the garage. When he went back into the house, Lina, in her regular clothes, and Gourry were perched upon stools at the kitchen island like vultures waiting to strike. Beth, the housekeeper, he remembered, was pointing a wooden spoon at them like a weapon. When he walked in, she smiled at him, not missing a warning swat when Gourry reached over at the cake on the counter that she was apparently guarding.

"Hello, Mister Zelgadiss. I hope these barbarians aren't going to scare you off. Will you be joining us for dinner?"

"Sure, Beth. Where's Amelia?"

"She's upstairs changing. Also said something about sending an email, or something…"

"Oh. Can I help out with anything here?"

"Such a helpful young man… Can you please take this coffee cake into the living room? This is supposed to be your dessert tonight when you watch the movie, but these two don't seem to understand the meaning of moderation." She shot them a meaningful glare, but softened it when she added, "We're having lasagna, chicken parmesan, shrimp fettuccini alfredo, roasted vegetables, and garlic cheese bread for dinner. And, if you're good, then you get a special surprise."

Lina's eyes lit up and she pointedly sat on her hands while Gourry folded his hands in front of him. Zel brought the cake dish out to the living room along with the serving knife and set both on the coffee table. His eye caught sight of something, and he stepped over to take a look. 

Several framed pictures decorated the mantle and he inspected each. There was a family portrait taken years ago. Amelia couldn't have been more than seven or eight, and Naga was about thirteen. The woman who could only be their mother stood by Phil, very elegant and very beautiful. He could see where the two girls got their looks. There was another picture of Amelia playing volleyball, another of Beth and a young boy who must be her son, one of Phil shaking hands with the mayor, and one of Naga playing the piano. There were also two senior portraits, one of Naga and one of Amelia. They both were very beautiful, but whereas Amelia's was classier, Naga's was sultrier. He briefly wondered how his old classmate was doing.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

Zelgadiss turned in surprise and saw Amelia standing next to him. He didn't even hear her walk up to him, and that was saying something.

"Yes, she is," he answered, staring at her. She was studying him with a thoughtful expression.

"You know what, Mister Zelgadiss? I just realized something. You went to school with my sister, didn't you?"

He nodded and turned back to the picture.

"Yes, we didn't have many classes together, but we did have one project that we did, and I came here a couple of times to work on it."

His eyes unfocused as his memory went back to his days of high school. Just like many of his fellow classmates, he, too, had a brief infatuation with the girl, but it was short-lived. Naga tended to string guys along then dump them as often as she changed her clothes. Once his crush was over, he found that he actually felt sorry for her. It was an extreme surprise to him that after their project she actually called him a few times "just to talk" and even stranger when she called a few weeks after graduation to thank him for being a good friend. He hoped she was doing fine.

Amelia watched as he stared at her sister's picture. He seemed so wistful. Hmmm… Maybe he had a crush on her big sister. What if he still did? She smiled.

"Gracia's supposed to be coming to my graduation on Saturday. You're welcome to come if you'd like. Maybe you two can catch up!" she suggested brightly.

He smirked, coming back to reality. He also remembered meeting Amelia when he first came here. She was much shorter and shyer back then, peeking in to watch her sister and her classmates working in the garage and running off when he said hello.

"I'll think about it," he said with a genuine smile.

Beth chose that moment to call them to dinner. Fortunately, the woman made more than enough for their hungry guests. Lina and Gourry were on better behavior than normal… that is to say that they didn't stab each other with their forks. Amelia ate as much as she ever did, but was more sedate in front of her father. Phil talked a lot about the upcoming ceremony and party, Amelia gladly putting her own two cents in every now and then. Zelgadiss merely listened and watched as he always did. The surprise that Beth had mentioned was brought out at the end of the dinner. It was a triple layer chocolate-raspberry cake with whipped cream and hot fudge topping. Ah, the coveted coffee cake had just been a diversion after all…

When their party moved into the living room, everyone had a slice of the coffee cake, too and Zelgadiss finally had a cup of coffee, much to his delight. The movie was exciting, better than they thought, and the guys had to listen as the girls squealed over Matt Damon. Gourry frowned, but let it go when Zel noticed and told him not to worry.

"You know you can kick his ass," he whispered to his friend.

Gourry smiled at this and surreptitiously put his arms on the back of the couch. He allowed his arm behind Lina to drop a little lower, just enough to rest against her shoulders. Lina, used to these tiny displays of affection, let it go. She wasn't ready for a relationship and made sure that Gourry knew it, but she also knew that he was a very important person to her, just how important, she wasn't ready to admit.

Smacking his arm, she stood up.

"It's getting late and you've got work tomorrow, Gourry. It's time to take me home."

Zel, taking that as his cue, also stood.

"Don't forget, you're all invited to my graduation and the party here afterward," Amelia said with a yawn.

"Of course. We can work on your car again, too, if you're up to it." Gourry was fishing in his pocket for his keys.

Lina slipped away from Gourry and whispered to Amelia. Zel's great hearing caught what she whispered.

"Will you be okay at the party?"

"Don't worry, Miss Lina. Nothing will happen like last time. I promise. I'm not Gracia." Amelia gave her friend a reassuring hug before walking her to the door. Zel tried to look like he didn't hear their conversation as he followed them out.

_Last time? I wonder what happened…_

A/N: I hope I did justice to the "fight sequences." I can see the fight in my head, but I've never been good with describing such quick movements as one would see in a sparring match. Please let me know if it was too clinical, not descriptive enough, too short or boring or unbelievable, or anything else. I could use the input. ^_^

Also, **Valk** wondered how old Zel was. Although I embed the characters ages within the story, I realize that it sometimes it helps if it's on paper, so here are the main characters: Amelia (17 going on 18), Zelgadiss (22 going on 23), Lina (19), Gourry (24), Xelloss (25), Naga (23), Val (19), and Filia (20). Aside from Xelloss and Zelgadiss, I tried to keep everyone's age-differences about the same: Xelloss since he _can't_ be 1012 was the oldest of the bunch, and Zel because I read somewhere that in the manga he was 20 in NEXT (five years older than Amelia at the time) and that age better fit my story. Hope that helps!

Special thanks to: **pogo**, **Kaeru Shisho**, **eedoe**, **Aisha C**, and **valk** for reviewing. I'm glad that you guys like Gourry. Even though he's notoriously forgetful and a bit scattered in the series, I've always believed that he sees things that others don't think are important and is very intuitive when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Thanks again. You guys rock!

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	10. Life Or Something Like It

Disclaimer: Slayers, its characters, and Charlie Brown are owned by other more talented people. I don't make money, so please don't sue. (Kim and Vince, this one's for you!  ^_^)

**Chapter 10**

**_Life… Or Something Like It_**

Tap… tap… tap…

"There wasn't anything on this on the midterm, so I'm putting it on the final…"

Boring…

"In addition to the formulas we just discussed, make sure you know all the correct coefficients…"

Tap… tap… tap… 

Lina's eyes followed her pencil eraser as it bobbed up and down against her notebook. It wasn't as if this information wasn't important or even helpful. It was just that it was extremely boring. Mr. Chambers was already giving them all the information they would need for the final next week, and that was only going to be 20% of the final grade. Having gotten A's and B's on her midterms and papers, Lina was hardly worried about a little test like this. Besides, what did physics _really_ have to do with hunting for treasure in exotic places like Africa or Southeast Asia?

Luckily, for her, the little alarm clock on Mr. Chamber's desk beeped and he so kindly announced that if anyone needed any extra help that he would be in his office for the next four hours…

Thanks, but no thanks!

Lina grabbed her book and notebook and shoved them into her backpack. Sticking the pencil behind her ear, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and rushed out of the classroom to freedom. This quarter couldn't end too soon…

She had just stepped out of her building and was shielding her eyes from the blinding light of early afternoon when she was almost bowled over by a green-haired punk on a skateboard.

"Hey, buddy, watch it!" she yelled automatically, and reached out a hand to snag the kid's backpack. 

Her mind immediately made the connection between books and real life. Demonstrating a couple of laws of physics, the boy's body tried to continue forward, but pivoted at the point of contact, namely Lina's death-grip on his bag. Inertia being what it is, the skateboard went flying out from under his feet and into the bushes, and gravity was brought into play as the kid ended up on his back on the ground. Hmmm… maybe physics would be useful in real life after all.

Glaring down at the punk, some of her anger melted away upon realizing who it was. She should have known from the khaki skater shorts and the 100% cotton t-shirt with "Don't Even Think About It" across the front, as well as the huge set of keys dangling from his belt loop. She shook her head, giving him a lopsided grin, which he easily mirrored. Then she cringed. If he was here, then that meant that someone else was nearby…

"Miss Lina! What are you doing to Val?" a lilting voice accused before Lina had a chance to give the punk a hand up. A beautiful young woman approached them, her long blonde hair trailing behind her. She was on her way from class to her job at the hospital and was wearing her pink and white scrubs, but if it were possible, they made her even more attractive.

"She's not doing anything, Filia," grumbled Val as he took Lina's proffered hand and righted himself. "I almost lost control and she kept me from slamming into the building," he lied smoothly.

Not wanting to get in the middle of another argument between these two, Lina took the opportunity to find Val's lost skateboard. The small crowd of people who had gathered hoping to see the redhead fight the green-haired punk soon dispersed when they saw that nothing was going to happen.

"Well, I told you that you shouldn't be riding that dangerous thing around campus anyway. Do you know how many different injuries I see a day because of those stupid things? Broken wrists, broken ankles, concussions," she said, ticking off the maladies on her fingers. "Not to mention the ones that are worse and require even more medical attention."

"I know. I know," he said, waving her off. "Jeez, Filia, I won't skate on campus then."

"Good."

Lina watched their exchange with amusement. They weren't blood related, but they definitely acted the part. Val's whole family had been killed long ago trying to escape during the war to Saillune* where Filia's family had been living for generations. Indirectly, it was their fault. Upon Filia's father's insistence, the Agares family had attempted the dangerous task of defecting in winter, and those who hadn't been shot and killed had frozen to death in the bitter wastes. It was purely luck that Val had been found by a trapper who happened to know both families and was able to get the young boy out of Kataart* and into the care of the Ul Copt's. It had taken him a long time to fully accept them, though, and after some problems with a shady relative who adopted him and some run-ins with the law, Val finally calmed down and the Ul Copt's had taken him in as their own son. With the war over and bitter feelings finally dealt with, Val traveled to his homeland back east once a year to visit his family's memorial that the Ul Copt's had commissioned. 

It looked like he was back from his trip.

Lina suppressed a snicker at seeing the self-satisfied look on Filia's face, and the smug indifference on Val's face. He threw her a wink and took back his board.

"So, Miss Lina, are you going to Miss Amelia's graduation?" Filia asked, hooking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Wouldn't miss it," she answered with a toss of her own hair. 

Those motions alone caught the attention of several passing young men whose gaze lingered on the beautiful young women's assets a few moments longer than necessary. Only Val noticed, however, and he stood just a little bit taller and eyed the men until they stopped gawking. If he weren't so damned peaceful, he'd have had more than just words with those ill-mannered boys. The bastards…

"So how did Amelia's prom go?" he asked, remembering that there was one girl he couldn't keep an eye on at school just yet. Not that Lina or Filia needed a chaperone, Val just happened to be very protective of the trio, a result of juvenile hall.

"Goood…" Lina dragged out the word, trying to think of the right wording. "She was prom queen, and she had a good time." She looked down at her watch. "Um, guys, I'll talk to you later, okay? I'm going to be late for work…"

"Who'd she end up going with?" Val continued, not missing Lina's attempt to escape.

"Yes," joined Filia, "when I told her that Val had to go to visit his family, she sounded kind of depressed. I hope we didn't make things more difficult for her."

"No, she really had a good time. Hey, I've got to get going now…"

"Who'd she go with Lina?" Val asked again.

Ugh. She knew that tone of voice. Well, Amelia's on her own with this one… With a shrug, she muttered, "Xelloss."

"What?" "Is she insane?" both Filia and Val yelled at the same time, garnering more strange looks from passers-by.

Again Lina merely shrugged. "You've got to talk to Amelia about that one, guys. I couldn't get much out of her the next day other than that she had a nice time and that she was prom queen. And I've got it on pretty good authority that nothing happened, if that's what you're worrying about."

"Whose authority? That pile of stinking garbage?" Filia raged. Lina could almost see the flames rising out of the top of her head. Normally very polite, even when upset, Filia only went off the deep end where Xelloss was concerned. There was some bad blood there, indeed. Only a few people, Lina included, knew the real reason why, but Lina made certain allowances for people that Filia would never even think about. While Lina wanted to tear Xelloss apart, Filia would want to be there to pound the pieces to a pulp and then set them on fire.

"No, and I'm not sure if Amelia would appreciate us nosing into her business…" Lina began.

"_You_ did," Val muttered, cutting her off.

"Well, that's different." She ignored the indignant looks on her friends' faces as she waved them off. "And if you have to know, my friend Zelgadiss just happened to be their limo driver, and he said that Xelloss was a gentleman."

Filia snorted, but Val nodded his head. "I'll believe you when I talk to this Zelgadiss-person myself."

"I understand. Hey, I've got to get going, guys. I'll see you at the party." They waved their goodbyes, but Lina rushed back on second thought and snuck between them, hanging her arms around their shoulders. "I guess you'll ask her about Xelloss anyway," she grinned as they both looked guilty, "and I wouldn't expect anything less from you two. Let me know if she says anything, okay?"

"Of course, Miss Lina. I wouldn't dream of leaving you out of the loop," Filia countered back with a smile.

"She'd hunt us down if we didn't," Val added when the girl was out of earshot. Filia merely nodded as they continued on their way to the hospital.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lina's drive from the University was short, mid-day traffic being kind to her for once. Her green S-10 pickup was small, but for a girl her size, it was perfect for going to and from school and work. She wondered idly if she'd have to upgrade her vehicle choice one day to make more room for someone taller…

"Gah! What am I doing?" she said aloud, lightly knocking herself on the side of her head with her fist. "I need to go out more…" she muttered, wondering when she and Amelia could go clubbing again.

She bit into a candy bar that she had picked up before leaving campus. That commercial was bunk. This little thing didn't help at all when her hunger struck. She hoped Amelia would be able to go to dinner early. Maybe she could buy a muffin or something from the refrigerated case at break.

As she pulled into the parking lot of Book 'N' Brew, she noticed a couple of familiar vehicles in nearby spots: Mustangs. She wasn't that late already, was she? Her watch said 2:24, and she wasn't scheduled to start until 2:30. She shook her watch, knowing that wouldn't really accomplish anything but doing it anyway, and it changed to 2:25. Great. 

She parked, grabbed her backpack, and ran into the store, easily weaving around people as both employees and her regular customers yelled greetings to her as she passed. Grinning as a response, she disappeared into the back room, only to appear minutes later (at 2:30, to be exact,) hair up into a high ponytail, the black Book 'N' Brew visor and apron on.

Sure enough, a line suddenly appeared at the coffee bar, and Lina took up her station at the register. Large non-fat latte "thank you," then a small caramel steamer "that will be $1.25," then a regular drip and a slice of cheesecake "for here or to go," then a small iced mocha "thank you," then a large mocha and a chocolate chip cookie "come again," then an orange juice and an ice water "…" (_cheap date_, she thought,) then another non-fat latte "no problem," then a regular espresso…

"Hiya, Zel!" Lina said happily upon seeing her friend. He was dressed in khaki slacks and a white shirt and as always the ever-present tan hooded sweatshirt. "You're here early today." She took the time to personally brew his espresso while Don was working on the mocha and the latte.

"I had a meeting with the Captain earlier today, and then I have some errands to run. I had some time to kill before I do those." He pushed back a lock of his lavender hair and smiled… just a little bit.

"What kind of errands?" She asked as she pulled out a small saucer and the demitasse, holding it under the spout when the concentrated liquid began to dispense from the machine.

"The kind that I was hoping you'd help me out with."

Lina's eyes narrowed as she handed him his order. "This doesn't have to do with Gourry, does it?"

Amazingly, Zelgadiss laughed, his normally stoic features lightening up with his half smile. Lina frowned. She had been baited and reeled right in.

"At least you're starting to acknowledge it, even just a little," he was saying. "Find me when you're on break, okay?"

"I don't know if I'll have time for a break," she said loftily, although the growl didn't quite disappear.

Zelgadiss put a couple of dollars in the tip jar before continuing, "Please, Lina?" although it didn't sound too pleading.

Her eyes flicked down to the tip jar then back up to his face. Damn, he knew her too well.

"Okay, okay. You're holding up my line, Mister. I won't go out with you, no matter how much you tip me," she said loud enough for several people in line to hear, and was rewarded when Zel flushed and turned away, grumbling to himself about being a friend to such a tyrant.

With a big smile, Lina went back to work, turning on the charm and racking up the tips.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By 4:30, Lina still had not yet seen Amelia in the store, and it was time for her break. She bought two muffins and made herself a caramel steamer and Zelgadiss another espresso. Balancing everything on a small tray, she wandered the store to find Zel. She found him in the History section on the second floor, of all places, and placed her tray down on the table in front of him. 

He looked up from his newspaper, and in response to her silent question, merely said, "No one ever comes here. It's quieter than the coffee bar."

With a nod, she sat down in the chair opposite him with her back to the rest of the store, and tore into her blueberry muffin. Zelgadiss reached for the cranberry-orange muffin, and she shot him a death glare.

"Don't even think about it, Zel. That's mine." To prove her point, she shoved the other half of the muffin she had been eating into her mouth and picked up the second.

"Oh, that's attractive, Lina."

"Wo do oo spek…" 

She swallowed the muffin and took a sip of her drink before continuing. She was at work, and it wouldn't do to have a customer get grossed out by her eating like a pig. Bad for the tips.

"What do you expect when I haven't seen Amelia since I got here? I wanted to ask her if she wanted to go to dinner early, but I have no idea where she is. I thought Jack just wanted her to do customer service or something."

"Oh. Amelia's right there," Zelgadiss pointed to the Children's section on the other side of the store. Lina turned in her seat, and sure enough, there sat her friend, in front of a crowd of children. The little ones sat on the ground, all in rapt attention to the book that Amelia was reading aloud. Even from this distance, it was clear that she and the children, as well as the parents, were enjoying themselves.

"Huh," she said, turning back to face Zel. She began eating the cranberry-orange muffin. "So that's where she's been."

"Umm, Lina, she's also the reason I needed help."

A new expression fell over Lina's face. One that Zelgadiss absolutely did not like. She calmly ate the rest of her muffin, washed it down with her drink, and wiped off her hands with her napkin, then she sat back in her chair with her fingers tented in front of her.

"Soooo…" she began, fixing Zel with her gaze. He felt shivers go up his spine when she grinned. "I see her beauty has struck you so much that you've changed not only your seat in our fair store, but your timing as well, so you can watch her from this new vantage point." Her hands clutched in front of her. "She has worn down your stony exterior and brought out the sensitive, caring man within." She stood up, starting to become more dramatic. "Oh, if only she knew how you felt about her! That's where Lina Inverse, Matchmaking Genius, comes to the rescue! Ohohohohohohoho!"

By the time Zelgadiss had yanked her back into her chair, his face was so red that his scars stood out shockingly across his face. He lowered his head to hide his face behind his long bangs.

Lina wiped a tear out of her eye, she was laughing so hard. She threw her waded up napkin at the brooding young man, and one eye glared back at her.

"I hate you," he muttered, though it sounded more weary than angry.

"I know you don't, Zel," Lina said, easily dismissing his words. "I just give better than I get, that's all."

"Hnn…"

"Oh, come on. Don't go into Chuck-mode**, Zel. Okay, I promise I won't say anything until you're done telling me what you needed help with. Deal?"

He was quiet for a moment while he considered. He wasn't this hard up for friends, was he? Damn. He let out a sigh.

"Amelia invited me to her graduation party, but I've got two problems: one, I'm not sure if I should even go, since I don't feel I know her well enough, but at the same time, I'd like to speak with her father about some things in the future, and if I don't go, I'd feel awkward going to see him without knowing her first, and then, two, if I decide to go, then I have no clue what to even get her since the only things I know about her are the fact that she's Gracia's little sister, and that she likes Mustangs, but I don't see how that would help with anything, and I only have two days left to find something suitable, so that's why I need your help."

Lina's eyes were wide by the time he finished rambling.

"Wow, Zel. I feel winded just hearing you talk." She shook her head. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that much at one time. Are you sure it wasn't true what I said earlier?"

"I don't have time for this," Zelgadiss muttered angrily, and he stood quickly, making to leave. Lina jumped up, barring his way.

"Come on, Zel. I'm sorry. Really." She batted her big ruby eyes up at him, and he buckled. Score one for the cute factor. "Look, I think you've already answered both of your problems in your little tirade there."

He continued to stare at her, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Number one: even if you ultimately just want to be able to speak with Phil, your conscience won't let you ignore Amelia and her offer of friendship. You're not the heartless guy you like to think you are, you know." She winked, and he relaxed a little more. She was right. "So problem solved. It's just a party after all, and if it's any consolation, Gourry will be there, too. As for number two: you said it yourself. She likes Mustangs. That's something the two of you have in common. I saw both cars in the parking lot, and although hers is still a work-in-progress, it will be as flashy and as stylish as yours. So, there you are. Problems solved."

Her words slowly sank in, and a small smile appeared on his face.

"Thanks, Lina. I knew you'd be able to help."

"Yeah, well, next time, only one espresso for you, mister. I don't think I can handle anymore of your rants. I'll see you on Saturday."

With well-practiced ease, Lina collected the dishes and trash, wiped down the table, and with a simple nod to her friend, went back to work.

A couple of hours later, Lina, sans apron and visor, had one thing, and one thing only, on her mind. Anyone could easily guess what that was by the way she was pacing back and forth in front of the refrigerated display case eyeing the already-made sandwiches and pastries sitting there, waiting to be eaten…

"Hi, Miss Lina! Ready to go?"

Tight-lipped, she growled, "Does it look like I'm ready to go?"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" They began to walk to the front door. "I just had to finish cleaning up the Children's section. Mr. Denning put me in charge of it when I'm here, and he also told me that for two hours in the afternoon, I can officially start reading the kids some books. We've sold out of the one I just read this afternoon, and there are 12 special orders in already! Isn't that won… der…"

Amelia's eyes caught something that was hidden from most employees. A man wearing a thick coat in the middle of June, had just slipped a bookmark, of all things, in his pocket, but as he turned, the corner of a large, heavy book slipped down several inches before he caught it and tucked it back in its hiding place. Glancing around, he began walking quickly towards the exit.

Just as he stepped outside the door, Amelia seemed to fly through the air at the man, tackling him, putting him in a headlock, and yelling "Thief!" Three heavy and expensive art books spilled out of his jacket onto the ground, and several people suddenly surrounded them.

Zelgadiss shook his head at the sight of the over-zealous girl bowling over a man twice her size, probably in the name of justice. He had been quietly reading in his corner upstairs when he first noticed the man walking by. It already looked like he had one book under his jacket. When he had gone downstairs, Zel alerted the manager and both watched him over the railing and had a clear view of him shoving two more expensive books under his coat. Zel moved downstairs while Jack went to notify the police and had been positioning himself to arrest the man when Amelia decided to act before he did.

With a sigh, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his handcuffs. He stepped through the growing crowd to find something that made him wish he didn't know these two girls.

Amelia was holding the three books and the bookmark and was scolding the man about the error of his ways, while Lina had replaced Amelia, holding him in a headlock.

"Don't you have any self-respect? Look at you, you're…" "…making me miss my dinner! Now there's going to be…" "…drugs or something. There are impressionable…" "…cops will be here, and questions, and…"

"All I want to do is eat!" they both yelled at him in unison.

Zelgadiss chose that moment to step forward to tap Lina on her shoulder. Like some kind of crazed animal, she snarled at him before releasing the man when she saw the handcuffs in her friend's hand.

"Look, after the statements are given, I'll buy you girls dinner tonight," he said, kneeling on the man's back as he cuffed him. "I'll talk to Jack. After this, he might give you the rest of the night off."

Amelia smiled as she followed Zelgadiss and the thief back inside the store. Apparently, the books that he had stolen totaled over $500. The bookmark was $1.89. She had just thwarted evil and upheld justice! That felt good.

Lina, however, sat on the sidewalk for a few moments longer. Sure, Zel was going to buy them dinner, but AFTER the cops got there, and AFTER they gave their statements, and IF Jack gave them the rest of the night off…

"Life's not fair! All I want to do is eat!" she cried. 

Amelia ran back outside for her friend, a pre-packaged sandwich in hand.

"Come on, Miss Lina! To tide you over," she said, indicating the sandwich. Lina took it when she stood up, dusting herself off.

"Thanks, Amelia," she said, her irritation slowly ebbing when she took a bite. They stepped back inside the store and made their way to the back room. "But we're going to eat so much better tonight when Zel pays."

Lina winked at her friend, the prospect of steak and lobster keeping the beast at bay for a little while longer.

********************************

[*A/N #1: Since I can't very well say they're all in Los Angeles county, I wanted to use a place from the series. Since "Seyruun" is too close to another fanfic (an absolutely _fantastic_ one, I might add – check out the "Seyruun High Jinx" series by Kaeru Shisho) I figured the alternate spelling is different enough and will fit into my storyline better. I _also_ know that Val is from the Outer world, but I don't think the series specifically gives his homeland a name. Checking my resources, the Kataart Mountains are home to the Dimos Dragons, supposedly the strongest dragons (see inverse.org – The Slayers Universe) so I made him from there. I also like the way it sounds…]

[**A/N #2: "Chuck-mode" is a term that my friend came up with to deal with our other friend's "woe-is-me" moods. It comes from Charlie Brown. For Halloween, the kids get candy or apples, but "What did you get, Chuck?" "I got a rock…" Hence, Chuck-mode was born.]

Special thanks to: **eedoe** (I'm sure Amelia would appreciate the correlation with Ginny – I do! ~_^), **Pogo** (These little questions that I've brought up feel like that elusive silver fish that surfaces every now and then, just to tantalize the reader. Hehehehe… And now you've got me thinking about the contest too. ^_^), **Aisha C** (I'm not a martial artist myself, but I've always loved the study of all martial arts, my favorite being Eskrima or Kali - Filipino martial arts. I'm glad you like my fight scene!), **Cookie** (Good to hear from you again and I'm glad you are enjoying reading. I'm enjoying writing for you guys!), and **Kaeru Shisho** (It's a little strange to see or think of some alternate pairings – some we see more than others – but it's always fun to explore the realms of possibilities!) 

Click the button!


	11. The Graduate

Disclaimer: I don't own, yadda yadda yadda… Please don't sue.

Chapter 11 

The Graduate 

The butterflies weren't going away. 

She had thought of graduation as the next step in the education chain, one more milestone to check off her list, one more accomplishment to put in her belt. Her whole class was doing it. Her best friends had done it. Heck, even her sister had done it. Graduating should have been the easiest thing to do all year. Show up. Walk down the aisle. Get your diploma and shake hands with the principal. Walk back.

One of the biggest days of her life was supposed to be easy. Except…

Her eyes found the huge form of her father sitting between Miss Lina and Miss Beth, and she suddenly realized what it was. Her graduation from middle school was quaint and calm, but it took place too close to a bad time for her. This was the first major event in her life where her mother would not be present.

She figured she would never get over her mother's death, and in a way, she didn't ever want to. Fingering her locket, her mother's words of comfort came rushing to her. _Remember your happiest moment, the time when you felt safest. If you're ever nervous or uneasy, just remember that feeling, and hold it close to your heart._ Remembering the first time she rode a horse as a small child, seated securely in front of her mother, the exhilarating feeling of flying along the ground, rushed into her, helping her fight through the clenching in her chest. She stood when her name was called out, punctuated by "Salutatorian" and "Suma Cum Laude." For her mother's sake, Amelia would enjoy this day, and would try to remember this feeling as well. After all, it was an experience.

And her experience began as the band played a strip-tease number as she walked up the steps, much to the delight of many of her more raucous classmates. Although blushing profusely, rather than cause a scene by insisting they stop, she merely sauntered up, bowed and waved, all the while, a huge smile upon her face. Everyone clapped, and she began her speech.

"… and we can build upon the experiences we've had in high school to prepare us for the journeys we will encounter in the future, be it college, trade schools, or work. Just remember that our futures are like a wide open book, ready to be written by the diverse individuals that we all are. Thank you."

A great cheer rose up from two places in the crowd, the first was led by a loud redhead and a giant of a man, the second group, all wearing the black and gold robes, patted Amelia on the back when she sat down among them. 

Strangely enough, the time she spent waiting passed slowly, but the time she was active seemed to rush by. She did not really remember giving her speech, though she clearly remembered with a grin seeing Lina jumping up and down on the bleachers. She vaguely recalled standing in line and accepting her diploma, and before she knew it, she was throwing her cap into the air with her fellow graduates.

Soon, her family and friends were surrounding her, placing flower and money leis around her neck, huge bouquets of roses and assorted flowers in her arms, steering her to groups of people to take dozens and dozens of pictures. In the blur and chaos of pictures and friends, only a few people remained constant: her Daddy, Miss Beth, Jordan, Miss Lina, and Mister Gourry. A few more familiar faces showed up, earning bigger smiles: Miss Filia and Mister Val, and even Miss Sylphiel and, surprisingly enough, Mister Zelgadiss. Amelia's eyes scanned the crowd while she accepted hugs from everyone. The slight twinge in her heart was quickly squashed when Hitomi grabbed her hand and dragged her away for a group picture with all her friends. 

Friends were wonderful.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amelia arrived home to much fanfare. A huge sign saying "Congratulations Amelia!" was draped across the front of her house, and it seemed like everyone made it there before she did. She wondered why Daddy had taken her home the long way up the hill. The normally quiet street was packed full of cars, and people were waiting out in front of the house.

Beth helped her out of the car, commissioning Jordan to help her carry in all of Amelia's flowers. The girl had taken off her robe back at school, and was much happier to simply be in her pale blue sundress. She had just enough time to smooth out her dress and her hair before being accosted by her best friend.

"Congrats, kiddo! That was a great speech!" Lina said loudly, patting her on her back as they walked to the house. Gourry, of course, appeared next to Lina.

"Really, Lina? I thought you were taking a nap. Your head kept bobbing up and down oof…"

Amelia smiled when Lina elbowed Gourry in the stomach.

"Hehehe… Well, I'm still proud of you!"

"Thanks, Miss Lina." As they stepped into the house, Amelia noticed a large box with a note in the foyer. _Hmm… That's strange. The present table is out on the patio._ As she bent to pick it up to put it where it belonged, she noticed that the note was a letter, and the box had a return address in Atlas City…

"Gracia?" she squeaked.

Lina, who had taken a couple of steps ahead, immediately froze and looked back with concern.

"Amelia, what is it?"

Amelia's eyes were round as she stared at the package. She didn't realize that a few more people had come into the house, wondering what was going on. That happy feeling that she was trying to remember seemed to be eluding her at the moment. Luckily for her, Lina was on top of things.

"Alright, everyone! Refreshments are in the back! Amelia's got to get freshened up right now, so go on back! We'll be down in a few minutes."

She caught Phil's eyes as she steered her friend up the staircase, and pointed at the box. With a sad nod, he picked up the package and note and followed his daughter upstairs.

"Why couldn't she make it?" Amelia asked the second they got to her room. Tears were threatening to spill over and ruin her day. "I could understand if she didn't want to come home for Christmas, but I only get to graduate from high school once."

She sat down on her bed, and Lina stood by her side, showing a side of her that not many ever got to see. She gently rubbed her friend's back, murmuring soothing words to her.

"I'm sure Naga had a good reason for not being here, Ame. Why don't you read her note before you jump to any conclusions."

Phil appeared strangely out of character as he quietly handed his daughter the note from his other daughter. He had a feeling about what was contained in the letter, but refused to let Amelia know of his displeasure. There were just some things in life that were more important than work.

'Dear Tesla*,

Congratulations, sis! I'm so proud of you! It seems like only yesterday you were tagging along behind me, trying on my clothes, trying to be as beautiful as I am. You've got to send me a new picture of you so I can compare, though I think I'll always see you as my CUTE kid sister. Well, I don't know about the beautiful part, but here's a box of my clothes, my newest line, to be exact. I've included quite a healthy and varied sampling of the Spring and Summer lines, and you can be sure to receive the Fall and Winter lines later on this year. (I've guessed on the sizes in the box, so if you need another size, let me know right away and I'll get it to you. That way, your next shipment will be the right one!)

I'm sorry I can't be there in person, Tes, but my publicist double-booked my weekend at the last minute. I've got two shows a day this Friday through Sunday, not to mention the shows in England next week. I'll see if I can make it home for your birthday. I hope Bradley doesn't schedule the Cosmo interview that weekend. I'll ask him not to.

Congratulations again, and I hope everything fits!

Kisses,

Naga'

Amelia stared at the note with a blank expression on her face. Phil looked positively livid, and Lina could not believe how self-absorbed and callous Naga could be. She wasn't trying to be, but she was. Casting a cautious glance at her friend, she decided to be remotely upbeat.

"Well, let's see what she sent you!" Lina said brightly, trying to pull Amelia out of her stupor. Slowly, the girl blinked and nodded, giving Lina the okay to rip open the box. As they sorted through the pieces of material, they realized a pattern was emerging, and the girls began to blush furiously.

"Umm… Daddy, I'm okay," Amelia said cheerfully, stepping in front of the box and gently guiding him to the door. "I guess I was a little disappointed that she didn't show up, but I'm okay now. Can you please let everyone know that I'll be down in a few minutes? Thank you!"

"Are you sure, Amelia? I don't think…"

"Really, Daddy. I'm fine." 

"Alright. I'll let everyone know," he said with a smile.

Amelia closed the door behind him with a sigh of relief.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" Lina asked aloud, still rooting through the box. She pulled out a particularly interesting piece of cloth, holding it up to figure out what it was. It appeared to be a shiny handkerchief with three strings attached to it. The next was definitely a velvet thong. Another looked like it could be a dress, purely because it had more material on it than anything else so far, but it seemed to be a panel of dark blue cloth for the front, another for the back, and strings lacing up the sides. Further inspection of the contents revealed several layers of lingerie, tiny shorts and tops, blouses that revealed more than they covered, skirts that covered enough to reveal, dresses like the one they already found, and at least five bikinis and bathing suits, as well as toe and navel rings, anklets and bracelets, and three different sunglasses. Amazingly enough, all this fit into a box that measured two and a half feet by two and a half feet. Quality, but thin, material…

A quick knock on the door before it opened was all the warning they got.

"Are you girls going to join us or… oh, my!"

They turned to see Filia and Sylphiel standing in the doorway, blushes now adorning their faces, and Val on tiptoes trying to see over Filia's head. She turned abruptly, pushed him back with a wink and a, "Sorry. Girl stuff," and closed the door in his face, deftly pushing the lock before he had a chance to try.

"What is all this, Miss Amelia?" Sylphiel asked, still blushing furiously as she gingerly picked up the racy dress as if it would jump onto her of its own accord.

"My sister, Na… Gracia sent them to me."

"Oh, 'White Serpent Fashions,' right?" stated Filia, looking at the shiny handkerchief and positioning correctly over her chest. It was one of those tops that only covered the front and was held in place with those strings.

"Yes, she couldn't make it, so she sent me her newest line."

Lina suddenly got that look on her face. They all knew: _that_ look.

"I know exactly what we're going to do for your birthday, Amelia! Just us girls, now," she said with a wink to the other two girls. "I think Naga's gift is going to be a blessing in disguise."

"Miss Lina? What…"

"Never mind the details right now. Hey, let's get down to your party and we'll talk about it later, okay?"

Feeling much better now that her friends had cheered her up, Amelia smiled and jumped up, pumping her fist in the air.

"You're right, Miss Lina! We're going to have fun today! It's time to eat!"

Laughing, the four girls raced out of the room and downstairs. No one noticed that Val was still in the hallway waiting. As he passed by Amelia's open door on his way downstairs, he paused and looked in, wondering what they meant by "girl stuff." Catching sight of a risqué little number, he smirked. This would be too good an opportunity to pass up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The party was in full swing, everyone mingling and eating. Lina spent her time between eating, keeping Gourry and Zelgadiss company, and catching up with her younger friends who had graduated along with Amelia. Sylphiel, a pretty EMT with long straight black hair and wide big blue eyes, and one of Filia's friends from the hospital, hovered nearby Gourry. She had a crush on him since grade school, even though she had gone to Montgomery High with Filia instead of to North High. Filia kept her company, and tried to figure out why Val had such a smug look on his face. Val merely watched the girls at the party with interest, content with shooting a knowing look to Filia every so often.

Amelia, like a bee visiting every flower, floated from guest to guest, chatting and laughing, clearly enjoying herself. The two adults disappeared into the calm of the house while the younger people remained outside. Every now and then, a few of her friends would show up and the talking and squealing would begin anew. Munching constantly on the wide variety of food that was displayed on the buffet table set up on the patio, she never had to worry about her hunger getting the better of her, and was able to remain mobile, ready to have a conversation with anyone. Lina, on the other hand, was never without a plate of food in her hands, and was therefore, stuck sitting at the table next to Gourry and Zelgadiss.

Which, of course, stuck Zelgadiss in a bit of a corner.

"I'm sorry, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia popped up next to him, a little too bouncy and cheerful for an apology. Suddenly, everyone's attention focused on him, and he began to wilt under their scrutiny.

_Why is everyone always staring at me?_ He wondered, the panic beginning to set in. He had forgone his comfortable hooded sweatshirt due to the situation, and was dressed in nondescript light grey slacks and shirt, but at the moment, he was wishing he had chosen to go casual. Amelia, apparently having realized that he did not want the attention, backed away immediately, and amended her address.

"… and Miss Lina. My sister isn't going to be coming to the party, so you guys can't really catch up with her. Maybe she'll be back for my birthday."

Her eyes grew wide at the thought that Lina might not catch on, but she only mumbled around a mouthful of food, "S'okay." She swallowed then continued, "I'll talk to her later."

Zelgadiss mumbled an "okay" before Amelia bounced away followed by Lina who was in search of something sweet.

"Ssssoooooo…" he heard someone hiss next to him. He turned his glare to the offender, but it was lazy and unaffected. He was met with a golden-eyed stare set into a thin, scarred face. 

Zelgadiss was too busy looking at the twin scars running up both sides of the young man's cheeks to notice the scrutinizing look he was getting himself.

"You're Zelgadiss, huh?"

The green-haired man sat down in the vacant seat next to him and propped his feet up on the table.

"Depends on who's looking," he muttered, trying to connect this guy with someone else at the party who might know who he was. He didn't need to wonder very long.

"Name's Val Gaav. I'm one of their friends," he said, loosely indicating the direction Amelia and Lina had gone. "So, Lina said you drove Amelia to the prom. That true?"

On the other side of Gourry, Filia leaned forward so she could better watch the two men talking.

"Yes, though I'm not sure why it's so damned important to everyone that I did."

"Do you know Xelloss?"

Aquamarine eyes narrowed. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."

Gold-flecked eyes glinted dangerously. "Did he do anything to her?"

Zelgadiss had enough. "If Lina put you up to this, I'm going to tell you what I told her: he was a perfect gentleman, and if you can't trust Lina or Amelia, then I suggest you bring it up with either of them."

There was a flash of gold hair as Filia swooped in to whack Val on the back of his head. She smiled prettily at the strange-looking young man her friend had been trying to pry information out of. His appearance did not bother her since she was a nurse and had definitely seen worse, and she deftly apologized.

"I'm sorry about that, Mister Zelgadiss. I'm Filia. Val here is just a little…" (whack again) "…over-protective of his friends."

"Yeah, especially where that creep is concerned."

"Yes, well, aren't we all? Sorry to have bothered you," she laughed nervously, trying to push Val out of his seat. The last thing Amelia needed was her friends getting into a fight over something that should be handled more discreetly. Of course, the thought of that pile of garbage doing anything to her innocent little friend…

"Come on, let's get a drink, Val," she growled, grabbing his wrist and swiftly hitting his pressure point to get him to submit to her whims. "Now is not the time for this," she hissed, and he followed her meekly to get a soda.

"Filia," he said when they finally stopped at the cooler next to the pool. She let him go and he rubbed his wrist. Damn, she was one of the sweetest, gentlest people he knew, but she had her own power if she wanted. He shook his head. The sun was at its peak, and out from under the shade of the pergola, it was very warm. She found a Pepsi for herself and a bottle of water for him.

"As much as I hate Xelloss, Val, I will not let you possibly ruin Amelia's day. That man over there is apparently one of her friends, and he certainly did not like your questioning, or shall I say accusing?"

With a sigh, he grunted, "Okay, I won't cause problems for her other guests, Filia." A sudden thought crossed his mind, and his eyes sought out the raven and crimson heads that he knew so well. There they were, making their way over to them. He put his hands in his pockets, and took an inconspicuous step away from Filia.

"What is it with that look today, Val? You're starting to worry me."

He just smirked at her, and she knew that there was going to be trouble…

********************************

*****A/N: I'm going off Amelia's full name, Amelia wil Tesla Seyruun, and her sister, Gracia ul Naga Seyruun. I can't remember which fanfic I got Naga's name from, but whichever it is, it deserves the credit, not me. Naga, in my story, is the only one who calls Amelia by her middle name, Tesla.

*ducks flying objects* Okay, so I cut it short, but the next chapter will make up for it. Special thanks to: **pogo** (It's funny how we sometimes slip up and say something that betrays our inner thoughts, sometimes to our dismay. This is what happened to Lina. It seems Gourry's on her mind whether or not she acknowledges it. ~_^), **Aisha C** (Stop, I'm blushing… No, really, _don't_ stop, because I love hearing what you think of my chapters!), and **tamatama** (I'm glad you caught up! I missed your reviews. And we'll get to know the reasons for OOC-ness all in good time!) for reviewing and keeping me going! Okay, I'm going to write some more now…

Click the button and Review!


	12. Let's Get This Party Started

Disclaimer: Not mine. No sue.

Chapter 12 

Let's Get This Party Started 

****

"What is it with that look today, Val? You're starting to worry me."

He just smirked, and she knew that there was going to be trouble…

"Hey, Amelia!" he yelled, taking a hand out of his pocket and waving her over, which was seemingly unnecessary since they were already walking towards them. It did, however, catch the attention of everyone at the party.

"What's up Mister Val?" she answered, stepping out from under the pergola. She put up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun when her face went completely red at the sight of what was being waved at her by one of her best friends.

"Val…" she growled. Lina looked up from her dessert. Amelia must be in a murderous frame of mind since she left the honorific off of his name. "Miss Lina, is that…" Lina's eyes traveled to her other friend, and she groaned.

In Val's hand was a bathing suit that was in the box Naga had sent, but to call it a one-piece was being generous. It was clearly a bathing suit, but it was made purely of fish net, certainly leaving nothing to the imagination.

"I was wondering if you were going to model this for us any time soon!" he yelled, hooking the straps with his thumbs and holding it up in front of his face, which was still visible through the thing. With hoots and catcalls rising up behind her, Amelia took off after Val, Lina at her heels.

"Sorry, Fil," he said without a hint of remorse, and he pushed her into the pool. Her eyes widened for a split second before she splashed into the water, capris, tank top and all.

Val laughed and sprinted off to the yard before she surfaced, and the two other girls went tearing after him. It was like a bizarre game of flag football, the flag being the fish net bathing suit. The boy cut back and forth across the wide field, easily jumping out of the way of the angry girls, but after a couple of minutes, the three were laughing. Val ran back towards the pool, and the crowd that had gathered quickly parted, not wanting to get anywhere near him should they catch up.

Then, without warning, he stopped, and both girls flew by on either side of him. When they did, he surged forward and grabbed them both by the waist. Although tall and lanky, Val was stronger than he let on, and he flung them both over his shoulders, much to the dismay of one young graduate who was wearing a short sundress.

"Val, let me down now!" Amelia yelled uselessly trying to cover herself and hit him at the same time. Lina was trying to turn around to grab his head, but before the girls could execute any permanently damaging martial arts moves, he jumped into the pool, girls still slung over his shoulders.

The roar of triumph the three friends surfaced to was deafening. Everyone was surrounding the pool, all cheering and clapping. Lina punched Val on the arm while Amelia kept him in a headlock, swimming with one arm to the side of the pool. Filia sat at the edge of the pool, positively livid, but only looking like a wet cat.

Val knew he was in for a royal beating by the three of them, but it was worth it if he could get them to laugh at themselves and stir up the party a bit. He was hauled bodily out of the pool, his nice slacks and shirt plastered to his form. Oh, he could picture himself now, sitting on the ground, staring up at the three beautiful, drenched and scowling girls. Unbidden, erotic thoughts flew through his mind, and he shook his head. With a grin, he thought to himself, _If I'm going to die, at least I'll die happy_. 

Sure enough, unaware of the unjust thoughts running through his head, Amelia started to crack, first smirking then smiling. Inevitably the other two followed suit and soon they were all laughing.

"Idiot," Amelia said with a grin, grabbing the "bathing suit" out of his hand and whacking him on the back of the head. 

"It was worth a shot, Princess," he countered, and she smiled. Other than her father and Beth, he was the only other person who called her by that nickname. 

"Here, girls," Gourry said, offering them thick towels. It was then that they realized that through their light-colored clothing, they were plainly visible, especially Lina in her light pink dress. And Val's eyes had been raking over their bodies…

"Gimme that!" she yelled suddenly, snatching the towel out if Gourry's hand. She was blushing almost as red as her hair. Oh, she was going to kill Val later…

"Well everyone," Amelia said after draping a towel over herself, blushing, but not as badly as Lina. "At least now we can change and swim off this heat," she offered, turning around to address her guests. Another cheer rose up and people shot off towards the house to get their swim things.

"Hey, where's mine?" Val asked, trying to pull his wet clothes away from his body.

Lina caught Filia's eye, and the two leaned over him. The blonde was not too happy with Val either.

"Here, Val, you can use mine," Lina said huskily, starting to pull off her towel. Blushing at the momentary thought that his fantasies might become reality, the boy was not prepared when they dumped him back into the pool with a laugh. Filia gave Lina a high-five and they followed Amelia into the house to change.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The pool was soon full of girls and guys, playing pool volleyball, splashing each other, and generally having a blast of a time. Several of Amelia's close friends from school were not going to be attending DBU with her, and so were trying to spend as much time with her as possible. Since Van was going to Gaia University in his hometown, Hitomi chose also to attend that school as well, presumably for their sports/nutrition program, but everyone knew the real reason why. Van was currently sitting at the edge of the pool with his arms loosely draped around Hitomi's shoulders as she sat in front of him.

Yukari and Amano were already engaged, so it was no surprise that she was going to go to Japan with him. He had that track scholarship, and she had relatives there, so it was no real problem for them. Even Ken was going on some kind of pilgrimage with a friend from overseas, martial arts training or something. Mike and Eva were the only ones not leaving the area, but Mike was going directly to work at his family's machining shop and Eva was going to DBU for the pre-veterinary program (which was on the complete other side of the campus.)

Amelia watched all her friends with a fondness she seemed to have for an amazing amount of people. While she was clearly saddened by the separation from her friends, she was happy for their happiness. But it wasn't like she was going to be left all alone in a brand new school. Lina, Val, and Filia attended DBU now, so she wouldn't be that alone.

Val sat on the patio, now in a comfortable and dry set of shorts and a t-shirt, and watched Amelia as she giggled in a corner of the pool with Lina on one side and Sylphiel on the other. That girl seemed to get along easily with anyone, and found it easy to make friends wherever she went, so it was hardly surprising if she made friends with *****shudder* Xelloss.

Swallowing his pride was something that Val was learning how to master. (Damn that motivational speaker!) With a growl, he went inside to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, but Beth shut it before he could reach inside.

"You know the rules, Mister Val." She stood with her arms crossed in front of her.

He smirked.

"It's not for me, Beth, and even if it were, I am allowed to have a drink if I want to now."

Reluctantly, she stepped away from the fridge and opened the door for him. He pulled out a bottle of Foster's and with a big smile for Beth, a bottle of root beer (organically made, amazingly enough.) She shook her head at him then shooed him away.

"Here. Sorry about earlier."

Zelgadiss looked from his book and squinted up at the green-haired kid then down at the offered beer. With a shrug, he took the bottle, tapped it in cheers with the other bottle, then took a refreshing swig.

"No problem," he replied, nodding towards the empty seat recently vacated by Gourry. The larger man was off prowling around in Amelia's garage for some reason, and that had left Zelgadiss alone in a shady corner of the covered patio. "Although I can understand the sentiment. Xelloss isn't the easiest person to get along with."

"How do you know him?" Val asked before he could stop himself. "If you don't mind, you know."

Zelgadiss looked at the kid, and shrugged. Maybe it was his bluntness, or maybe it was the fact that he shared something in common with him, but he actually answered the nosy question. "I knew him back in high school, so when I had…" his hands vaguely gestured to the scars on his face, "Xelloss represented me in court. I agree with you that he's a snake, but snakes aren't always that bad, are they?" Zelgadiss actually smirked.

Val appeared thoughtful for a moment as he considered the man's words. He guessed the same could be said about him, too. He had caused a lot of people a LOT of problems a few years ago, but there were those around who stuck by him without judging or being prejudiced. His eyes traveled to Lina and Amelia and Filia who were now lying out on the loungers (in regular swimsuits, dammit) with a group of Amelia's friends. 

No. Snakes could shed their skins and live new lives.

"I guess you're right," he admitted. "So, if you knew Xelloss in school, I'm assuming that's where you knew Amelia and her sis from, right?"

"Er… I knew Naga in school, but I don't really know Amelia that well." He took another drink. _Please don't ask me any more questions_, he hoped, but he may as well hope the sun wouldn't set.

"Soooo… then why are you here?"

"She invited me."

"A guy she doesn't really know."

"As I said." Val's eyes narrowed. "Look," Zelgadiss continued, wanting to avoid another confrontation, "I'm not interested or anything like that. Besides, I don't think there are many women who'd be attracted to a freak like me. She's a nice girl who said she wanted to be my friend, and from the number of friends that she's got, I don't think I was singled out, do you?"

Val smirked.

"You've got a good head on your shoulders, Zelgadiss." This earned a smile in return, but Val wasn't about to let this guy off easy. "But I think you're wrong. Amelia's got a lot of friends, but only a few she really depends on. If she ends up considering you one of her close friends, then she thinks you're something special."

"You speak from experience?"

"Yeah."

"How did you two meet? I don't remember you going to North."

"Nah, I went to Montgomery." Zelgadiss raised an eyebrow at that, and Val laughed. "Yeah, can you imagine what it was like to go to a private school? Couldn't do anything fun on campus at all."

They sat in silence for a few more moments, sharing a beer (well, a beer and a root beer.) The guests were slowly making their way back to the patio, pulling on warmer clothes over their swimsuits. It was approaching 5:00, and it was starting to get colder.

"You never answered my question, you know."

"I know." Silence fell between them for a few seconds before Val continued. "Do you know where Amelia went to school before she went to North?"

Zelgadiss racked his brain for any bit of information that he may have heard over the last few days or over the course of high school. He remembered Naga saying something over the phone one night about her little sister having to go to some school, and that she was glad that she was eighteen and didn't have to go as well. But where that was, he didn't know.

He shook his head, and Val only smiled.

"If she ever decides to tell you that story, then you'll know that she thinks you're someone special. If not, then you're off the hook."

He clinked his bottle on Zelgadiss' again, then with a nod, sauntered over to the garage, leaving the lavender-haired man to his thoughts. Hmmm… Maybe it was time to leave anyway…

"Are you enjoying yourself, Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia bounced up next to him, still clad in a white, strapless one-piece bathing suit. She sat down in the empty chair to pull on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, clearly unabashed at "dressing" in front of him.

"Umm, sure," he said, trying to look anywhere but at her. His gaze inevitably landed on his drink.

"Oh, you're almost done with your beer. Let me get you another one," she said, always the gracious host.

"No, thank you, Amelia. I was just about to leave anyway…"

Her eyes widened in alarm, and he was in awe at how blue they were. Almost like sapphires.

"Oh, no! You can't leave yet, Mister Zelgadiss! Mister Gourry and Mister Val aren't done yet and I haven't even opened my presents." Then she crossed her arms in front of her and pouted cutely. "And you can't leave since you've _just_ finished your beer."

He was about to protest that one beer was hardly enough to get him buzzed, much less impair his judgment, but he said instead, "So you're going to get me another one so I can't leave for a while, right?"

Amelia was about to protest, but caught the smirk he was trying to hold back. Well, if he was going to joke with her, then she would be a good sport about it.

"Of course. Now that you've seen though my plot, all I can do is follow through."

With a smile and a wink, she went to the kitchen to fetch her newest friend a beer. She had been happy to see that he had attended the ceremony, and was even happier to know that he had followed to the party. Although disappointed that her sister did not make it home, she was upset for Mister Zelgadiss' sake. He had gone through all this trouble to go to the graduation of a girl that he hardly knew, and his old crush (for this was how she saw them) had the audacity not to even show up. For Mister Zelgadiss, she would ensure he had a good time!

When she stepped into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Jordan try to hide a beer behind his back as the door to the refrigerator closed. Two years younger than her, he had always been fairly close to the youngest Seyruun daughter, but his shy and reserved nature always kept her at somewhat of a distance. His self-confidence had always been an issue due to his untrainable brown hair and large glasses, but Amelia had always tried to stick up for him like a big sister would. Seeing him swipe a beer, though, her protective nature took over.

"Jordan, you know you can't…"

He looked guiltily over the top of his glasses. His hand lowered, and he held the unopened bottle loosely in front of him.

"I just wanted _one_."

Her eyes narrowed. "Meaning you've tried it before."

Uncharacteristically, his voice raised, just a little bit. "You have too, Amelia. I know you have. More than just one, and more than just beer, so you can't tell me that I can't."

Changing her tactics, she became very serious with him. "I'm not telling you that you can't. I'm telling you that you shouldn't. Please don't put Miss Beth though what Gracia and I did to Daddy."

"What about the night you went to Prom? Mom and your dad didn't, but _I_ saw how you came home."

"That…" she sighed, "… was a mistake." She knew that would come back to haunt her. "And that's exactly what I'm talking about. Luckily, nothing bad came of it, but what if I had been driving? Then what?" Just as she said that, she realized she was preaching, and that preaching hadn't done her any good either. "Look, let's talk after the party. Just you and me. I'll take you to the pier so we can have a talk and have some fun too."

She smiled brightly, and his false confidence wavered. "Well…"

"Jordan, what do you think you're doing?"

Beth had stepped into the kitchen just then and saw the bottle in her son's hand. She took a threatening stride forward, but Amelia calmly held out her hand.

"Jordan is getting a beer for me, Miss Beth. It's for Mister Zelgadiss." Although her heart was surely beating as quickly as Jordan's, she forced her voice to remain steady and unconcerned as the boy handed her the beer with slightly trembling hands. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Oh. Nothing, Miss Amelia." She turned to her son. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I thought… never mind that. Can you please help Mister Phil? Mister Christopher and Mister Alfred have just arrived, and they brought some more gifts."

The boy nodded, thankful for something to do. Amelia smiled upon hearing that her uncle and cousin were here, and hurried out to deliver the drink to Zelgadiss.

"Did you run out of beer?" he wondered as she handed him the drink.

"Oh. No. I'm sorry I took so long. My uncle and my cousin just got here, so I'll have to welcome them. Don't worry, I'll be right back!"

And with that, she bounced back into the house. _Just like a bunny_, he thought wryly, fighting a smile. Lina was coming his way, and he was grateful for the company. He still had no idea what Gourry was doing…

Just then, the garage door opened, and thumping music suddenly filled the air as Gourry carefully wheeled out two large speakers and a DJ station. Amazingly, the record didn't skip, and Val stepped behind the station, placing a pair of headphones over his ears. One hand swept over the second record, slowing it down then speeding it back up to match the beats. He pulled one of the headphones off his right ear as he slowly faded one record into the other flawlessly, and was rewarded by the cheers of the people who jumped up and began to dance out on the patio and driveway.

It's getting hot in here 

_(So hot)_

So take off all your clothes… 

"So that's what they were doing," mused Zelgadiss, putting down his second beer, untouched.

"Val DJ's every now and again." Lina commented, as she took her place as the latest player in the game of musical chairs beside him. "He promised Amelia that he'd DJ her party since he couldn't make the prom." She eyed him, and he shook his head. She grinned. "I'm not going to ask you about it, Zel. Don't worry."

They sat and watched everyone dancing, continuing to celebrate the end of high school life. Filia and Sylphiel were dancing together since they didn't have partners, as were a couple of other girls. The number of guys at this shindig was a lot less than the number of girls. At this rate, Lina wouldn't get to dance unless it was by herself or with… She grinned.

"C'mon Zel," she said, slapping him on the leg, "Let's dance!"

"No!" he almost yelled. Uh, oh. There was that look in her eye. The one that brooked no argument. The one that threatened to embarrass him worse if he didn't succumb to her will. He put up a good fight, though. "No, I… I don't think soooo!"

Lina pulled him up and dragged him to the driveway almost kicking and screaming, but he realized its futility and grimly accepted his fate. Only _she_ could get him into these situations, and only _she_ could make it not be that bad for him. Surprising Lina, he proved to be a very good dancer, and despite his initial reluctance, he seemed to be somewhat enjoying himself. Before long, Amelia joined them outside with her cousin Alfred, and they melted into the small crowd.

"Hey Lina!" Gourry yelled over the music. He was still next to Val and the DJ equipment. Not stopping her jumping up and down, she turned to him. "Wanna dance?" he asked.

Without so much of a goodbye or a see-you-later, Lina danced her way to Gourry, leaving Zelgadiss in a bit of a lurch, standing amidst the other dancers. Before he had a chance to feel the awkwardness of the situation, Amelia appeared in front of him with a smile.

"May I?" she asked.

"Umm…"

"Come on, silly! Let's dance!" she said, echoing her friend's earlier comments, and grabbed his hand to pull him closer to her. Her enthusiasm reminded him of her friend. At first a little uncomfortable with each other, they soon began to move together with ease, dancing almost as if they had always been partners. He found that she had a certain ease that enabled her to meld with him, drawing him out of his initial discomfiture and allowing him to relax just a little bit more. He had been worried at first about the stares he would be getting, but Amelia's friends seemed to be just like her: sensitive and understanding.

"Hey, who's that creepy-looking guy dancing with Amelia?"

Well, maybe not all of them. He felt a shudder pass through him, and it took him just a moment before he realized that it was his partner who was shaking with anger. He gently let her go.

"Alfred, how _dare_ you insult my friend like that?"

A few people stopped dancing to watch. Alfred, a handsome young man of twenty-one who shared Amelia's raven hair and blue eyes, stood a few feet away. Upon seeing him, many of the unattached girls sighed and inched closer.

"I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect, Amelia," he said smoothly, placing his hands out in a placating gesture.

"You still shouldn't say those kinds of rude things!"

"Maybe I should go," muttered Zelgadiss, suddenly very aware of all the eyes that were focused on him. He had the sudden urge to get away.

"No, Mister Zelgadiss. We were having fun. Alfred, you should apologize to my friend."

"Amelia, can we move this inside? Please?" Zel practically begged. Upon seeing his distress, she nodded and grabbed both men's arms, pulling them along after her towards the house. For such a petite girl, she certainly had a lot of strength.

She marched them inside and straight into the billiard room, which was always empty. It held a regulation-sized table, four and a half feet by nine, and the room was decorated in rich cherry wood. A cue rack was set into the wall beside a small chalkboard. Cushioned stools were set up about the room as well as a couple of bar tables with checkerboards inlaid on the surface. 

The second she closed the door, she pointed her finger at her cousin.

"Alfred. Apologize. To. Mister. Zelgadiss. Now." She punctuated each word with a jab to his chest, which he took surprisingly well.

"If you insist, Amelia, but I told you that I didn't mean anything by it." He extended his hand to Zelgadiss. "I'm sorry if what I said offended you. If my youngest cousin had been dancing with Gourry and I didn't know him, I'd call him a creepy-looking guy too."

Zelgadiss took his hand a little hesitantly, but offered a strong handshake, which Alfred returned in kind.

"Well, if it will help any, my name is Zelgadiss Greywords, and I _am_ one of Amelia's friends." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, only slightly aware of the challenge in the gesture.

"Zelgadiss, nice to meet you. I'm Alfred Seyruun. My dad is Amelia's dad's little brother. No hard feelings?"

It took a moment for him to process their relationship, then shook his head. "No…" He was cut off when his pocket began ringing. "Excuse me."

As he searched for his phone, Amelia flew at her cousin and hugged him around his middle. "I'm sorry," she wailed, although there were no tears in her eyes. "I just don't want anyone I care about to not get along like that." Alfred merely patted her head gently and tried to pry her off of him.

"It's okay, Amelia. Hey, do you think I can get something to eat?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Go on ahead. I'm going to wait for Mister Zelgadiss."

With a small smile and some degree of relief, Alfred left the room. 

Having finally found his cel phone, Zelgadiss answered the ringing.

"Hello? Oh, it's you. What do you want? Now? Why don't you…" Zelgadiss sighed as he listened to the person on the line. "Alright. I guess it works out anyway. Give me a few minutes."

He hung up the phone angrily, looking as though he was ready to throw it through the window.

"Mister Zelgadiss? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Amelia. Umm… I've got to get going now."

"You aren't angry, are you?"

"No." With a resigned sigh and a glance towards the ceiling as if asking for divine patience, he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he tried to sound calm. "Can you walk me out to my car, Amelia?"

"Sure, of course." She immediately led him to the front door, worried that she had somehow done something wrong, but when they arrived at his car parked just down the street, she saw something that brightened her day.

"Mister Xelloss!"

Sure enough, Xelloss was standing next to Zelgadiss' black mustang, dressed in a black suit with a tan shirt. He was holding a small wrapped gift in his hand.

"Congratulations, Amelia." With a smile, he gave her a small kiss on her cheek. "Sorry I couldn't make it earlier, but I had to make sure you got your present."

He handed it to her, and she unwrapped it carefully. Inside a small box was a beautiful silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. Her breath caught in her throat. 

"It's lovely, Mister Xelloss. Thank you."

He smiled, and gave her a light hug.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

"Of course. Are you coming inside? I think there's still food if you're hungry…"

"No, I've got to go, Amelia."

"But you just got here."

"I don't think a couple of people there will be too happy to see me, and besides, I had just enough time to stop by. I've got something that I have to do."

"What's that?"

He smiled, one eye opening as he wagged a finger in her face.

"That's a secret."

The disappointment on her face was quickly covered up by a cheery smile as she giggled. Xelloss didn't seem to notice, but to Zelgadiss, her face was an open book. He allowed the two of them their time alone, and was grateful when Xelloss finally left. Although he was one of the few people who didn't want to kill the man, he still loathed a lot of the things that he did, and the more Zelgadiss got to know Amelia, the less he liked the idea of those two having _any_ kind of relationship.

"I'm sorry you have to leave, Mister Zelgadiss," she said to him, startling him out of his thoughts. Xelloss was long gone. "Will you be okay to drive?"

"Yes, Amelia. I would have stayed a little longer so you could open your presents, but _he_ didn't have much time to stick around."

"You mean that was Mister Xelloss on the phone? You left so I could see him?" Before he got the chance to answer, she wrapped her arms around his neck, surprising him with a hug. "Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss."

She released him, and he scratched the back of his head, fighting off the urge to blush. He luckily remembered his gift and reached into his coat pocket.

"Umm… here. I almost forgot to give you your gift. It's not as fancy as Xelloss' but I hope you like it."

He handed her an envelope, which she took curiously. Opening it, she withdrew two slips of shiny paper…

"Tickets to the Classic Auto Show?" Her face lit up, and she again hugged Zelgadiss, but this time, he only smiled as he hugged her back. "Oh, thank you! This is perfect! I've heard that this year they have a special exhibit: _Mustangs Through the Years_!"

"I thought that maybe you and your father could go again."

"That would be…" She looked at the tickets again and frowned. "Oh no. The show is on the same weekend that Daddy will be out of town."

"Maybe Gourry would want to go."

"No. He likes working on cars, but it's not a real treat for him like it is for me." She considered for a second then said with a grin, "Mister Zelgadiss, if _you're_ free that day, _we_ could go!" He had to admit, when he bought those tickets, he had thought about getting his own so he could go too, but decided against it. Who knows, it might be fun…

"Sure, Amelia. There's one problem we have to address though."

"What's that?" she wondered, concern flitting over her features. 

He laughed. He actually _laughed_. "Your Mustang or mine?"

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A/N: Wow. That was a LONG chapter (to make up for the last one), with a lot of different things going on with a lot of different people. I hope it wasn't too confusing. Hmm… questions have been answered only to have more questions revealed. Mwahahahahaha!!!!

And a very special set of thanks to everyone who reviewed. (Thank you to anyone who read and enjoyed, but didn't review, as well.) You guys all rock my world! 

**Cookie** (I'm glad you liked it! So, what did you think about what Val did? Highly embarrassing situation, but sometimes, those can be fun, too!), **Pogo** (Point taken about the A/N. It's hard when I want to explain things right away, but I know it interrupts the flow. Thanks for the tip. Also, Val was hard to write because he just _didn't_ have the same kinds of experiences as in the anime, but I tried to make it close. I'm glad you find my characterization entertaining still!), **Kaeru Shisho** (Well, just a little bit of Xelloss. He'll be making tiny appearances for a while, until we get more into his story, as well as Filia's, Val's, Lina's, Gourry's, and Naga's – I'm still trying to figure out Sylphiel…), **Aisha C** (I hope you liked everyone's interactions in this chapter as well. And when I initially wrote this chapter, I _had_ Val with gold-flecked eyes. But then I second-guessed myself, looked in one of my art books and he actually had orange-red eyes in the picture… *hangs head* Oh well. I fixed it. ~_^), **kitkat** (Oh, new reviewer! I'm happy I can make you guys happy too! I wish I could just post everything I've got up right away, but I know I'm going to get stuck one day and _not_ have anything to post, so I've got to pace myself. I usually update every Tuesday, so check next week!), **treefairy** (Hey, another new reviewer! I really am blushing now. ^_^ I'm glad I can make this AU story interesting enough, because I'm a huge A/Z fan too! I hope you continue to enjoy!)

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	13. On the Boardwalk

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

Chapter 13 On the Boardwalk 

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"Jordan."

The boy slept on, oblivious to the world around him. He was having a dream. Whether or not it was a good dream or a bad one, he couldn't decide. It had something to do with a merry-go-round spinning around, and each time it passed his mother, she got older and sadder-looking. But there was that weird-looking guy from the party, and Lina, and Amelia, and even Gourry. They drove up on Amelia's car and crashed into the merry-go-round, and Jordan went flying off into the bushes. When he disentangled himself from the shrubbery, he was set to give a speech, and everyone was clapping and cheering his name…

"Jordan."

"Just a few more minutes, Mom. It's Sunday."

"Jordan, it's me, Amelia."

His eyes opened, and he squinted up at her as he reached for his glasses.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

She sat down on the chair at his desk and smiled.

"Nothing's wrong, silly. Since the party ended too late, I'll bring you to the pier today."

He groaned.

"Come on. It'll be fun."

"But you want to… you know."

"Talk? Of course, but come to think of it, I really think we should do this more often. I sometimes think that if Gracia and I had talked more, we could have helped each other." She became quiet for a moment, and _that_ look crossed her face, clouding it for a mere second before it was gone, replaced by _that_ smile.

"You know, I hate it when you do that," he muttered, surprising himself by his boldness.

"Do what?" she asked, bewildered and a little hurt.

"Nothing," he said, dismissing it. "Alright, let me get ready and we can go."

After Jordan showered and dressed, the two ate a quiet breakfast and said quick good-byes to their parents before hitting the road. It was a sunny day, and Amelia was soaking it in, clad only in shorts and a tank top, one of her sister's "White Serpent" sunglasses shading her eyes. Jordan, however, had on his baggy khaki's and a black t-shirt, and of course, his large glasses. Amelia had been about to protest his choice in clothes, but knew that it was just the way he dressed.

They arrived at the pier by 11:00, and it was already turning out to be a gorgeous day. A few clouds dotted the cerulean sky, and the cooling breeze carried with it the calming salty smell of the ocean. The hush of waves rolling onto the beach provided the simple backdrop to the myriad sounds of the pier. People laden with goods from the nearby Farmers' Market strolled slowly by, chatting about the flowers or the fruits or the vegetables that they had bought. Music and sound effects issued from the arcade, and shouts of "Winner! Winner! Winner!" emerged from different booths. A street musician was pounding on empty water jugs and buckets with drumsticks, earning the tinkling of loose change from passers-by. Sea gulls squawked overhead, and both Amelia and Jordan kept a wary eye on the birds. Although they seemed pretty from a distance, those 'rats with wings' had a bad tendency to congregate over public places looking for food to snatch and unsuspecting people to crap on.

"What did you mean by that?" Amelia asked, catching Jordan's attention away from the birds.

"Mean by what?" He stepped up to a booth and gave the vendor a dollar for three whiffle balls that he was supposed to toss into a tic-tac-toe pattern. He tossed one. It landed in the middle square.

"The 'I hate it when you do that' part."

"Oh. That." He tossed another one. Upper left-hand corner.

"What do I do that you hate so much?" She was biting her lip, clearly upset that there was something about her that he hated.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." The last one landed on the bottom middle square. "Damn." He handed the vendor another dollar. "Here, Amelia. You try."

Surprised, but up to the challenge, she tossed in one after another. Hers were nowhere near a tic-tac-toe. She pulled out more money, so they could take turns. Twelve dollars later, Amelia left the booth with a three-inch star plushie, and continued on. The brief distraction did not deter the girl from her train of thought, though.

"Jordan, really. If there's something I'm doing that's…"

"You're not doing anything, Amelia." He began to walk away. "And I thought you wanted to talk about me, anyway."

Her brows furrowed and she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the huge Ferris wheel that dominated the pier. She paid the admission, they got on, and waited as the wheel was slowly loaded up with people.

"Okay. I wasn't planning to have our talk just yet, but now's the perfect time, since you can't get away from me here. First thing I want to know is what you meant by that. And don't say nothing, because that's a bunch of baloney."

He snickered.

"It's not funny!"

"It's funny when you use 'baloney' instead of 'crap' or 'shit.'"

"Jordan!"

"Come on! Just say it!"

"Jordan!"

"Say it, and I'll tell you."

She pouted. Okay, so she's said her share of curse words, but just like other things, it was a vice that she didn't want to fall back into. But once wouldn't kill her…

"Shit," she sighed.

His eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow. I didn't think you'd actually say it."

"So I did. Now what did you mean by that?"

He sighed.

"Well, you know how your sister didn't show up yesterday but sent that box?"

"Yeah, but what does…"

"I saw your face when you realized that she wasn't going to make it. It was the same face that you made when she didn't make it home for Christmas, and the same face you _always _make whenever someone hurts you or whenever you're upset." He was looking out at the ocean, so his expression was unreadable. "But instead of crying or talking for hours with one of your friends, or anyone, you always just cover it up with a smile that's not a real smile, and pass it off as nothing to worry about." He turned to face her, and he whispered, "I hate it when you do that."

Speechless at first, when Amelia opened her mouth, it came out as a squeak.

"Why?"

"Why? Because you used to be fun. I remember before your mom died, we used to have fun together, you, Gracia, and me. I felt just like your little brother. But after your mom… died, you two started doing your own thing, staying in your rooms. Drinking." He looked at her pointedly. "You still cried and got angry and laughed at everything, so other than playing with me all the time, you didn't really change. I guess I understand why now, but I didn't back then. After you went to Anderson, you were different. You acted older. Nothing bothered you. Ever. And the only times you'd get angry, it was because someone _else_ got hurt. You're always so full of 'love and justice' and you like to right other people's wrongs, but you just take whatever anyone says about you or does to you. You let them walk all over you."

Tears were brimming Amelia's eyes, and the Ferris wheel was already spinning. She looked away to wipe at her tears. He was right. She closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the rush of wind in her face and then the feeling of weightlessness on the downswing of the huge Ferris wheel. Realization suddenly hit her. She was doing it again. Instead of allowing herself to _feel_, she was stuffing her pain underneath all the happy thoughts she was taught to keep in her mind.

"Going to Anderson taught me that life is a series of ups and downs, Jordan. I think I've adjusted to that fact a little better than other people. I've learned not to care about silly things, and I try not to let idle words get to me. Some things are more important than others. Of course I was upset when Gracia didn't come home, but I couldn't very well demand her presence, so I've just got to move on." Although it sounded right and very grown-up, a small part of her wanted to stamp her foot and scream that it wasn't fair. "Besides, I thought we were talking about you," she muttered, though she didn't feel angry, just a little ashamed.

Jordan turned to glare at her, but she smirked and nudged him in the shoulder. Realizing that she wasn't comfortable talking about it with him, he smiled.

"We are, as a matter of fact. School sucks."

Yup. That did the trick. Amelia perked right up.

"But you're doing so well, right? Straight A's?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter."

"So why sneak a beer?" He shrunk back. Damn. Of course she remembered. "You knew this was coming, Jordan."

"I know. I know." He sighed. "Do you know what they said about you at school? About us?"

She frowned. "Yeah. It's all just gossip. Only a couple of my friends know the truth about Anderson. Everyone else thinks I went abroad to go to school."

"Yeah, and some of them think you had a kid, or got married."

"Stupid."

"I know. I'm the one who had to deal with all those idiots."

"Deal?"

"You know what, I didn't think I'd ever have this conversation with you…"

"Jordan."

He sighed again. 

"You ignore all those stupid comments, but I can't. I've got to handle the ones who don't let it rest. If it isn't bad enough that I have to hear about all the things they say about my mom and your dad, and being the maid's son, all the gossip about you makes its way to me eventually. I've had my share of scuffles because of it."

Her face dropped. "I am so sorry!"

"About what? _You_ weren't the one who started all those stupid rumors anyway. The latest one was yesterday."

"Yesterday? Graduation? What did they say?"

He fiddled with the hem of his shirt, not wanting to answer the question at all. Taking a deep breath, he plunged forward.

"They said that since you're graduating that you're moving on up from the maid's son to the older richer man."

"Who said it?" She was _not_ pleased at all.

He cringed. Although he said he missed it, he wasn't prepared for an angry Amelia.

"Chad Denton."

"Chad… Hn. Figures. That's not what he said, though, was it?" Her eyes were glinting dangerously.

"Er… not exactly… He said, 'So, now that Amelia's graduating from high school, she's also graduating from screwing the maid's son to screwing that rich lawyer bastard.' I couldn't slug him, so I asked him if he was jealous… of you."

It started as a giggle and a chuckle. By the time they were let off the ride, they were laughing so hard, everyone around was staring at them. Their laughter slowly died down and they walked over to sit down near the railing overlooking the ocean. The seagulls were taunting them from overhead again, and they kept a watchful eye on the birds.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with someone like that, Jordan," she whispered after a moment.

"It's okay, Amelia. Just after that and seeing you deal with your sister not being there, I think I was tense enough for both of us."

"Hence the beer." She sighed. "I know I'm probably the last person who should lecture you about drinking, but if you're doing it to escape something, then it's wrong. I know _that_ much. If you do it to celebrate or have fun, then I'd understand. Just be careful and don't do anything too stupid?"

"I'll try. But you have to try something for me, too."

With a half smile, she asked, "What?"

He closed his eyes. "Have more fun, get angry, get sad. Stop being sorry all the time for things you can't help. And find yourself someone you can talk to. I mean _really_ talk to."

"I talk with Miss Lina…"

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "And Lina talks _over_ you. That's not what I mean. I mean someone who'll not only listen to you when you have problems, but someone you can count on to be there for you the same way you can be for them."

"What about you?"

"Me? Naw, I'm too close to you to be of any real use. I don't think I'd be as… objective as I probably should. You're like a sister to me after all."

Amelia grinned and before Jordan could tell what was coming, she hugged him tightly, much to his chagrin.

"Ame… I can't breathe…"

She released him, to his great relief, but asked, "Since when did you become so good at this kind of thing?"

"I watch Dr. Phil… Oh, geez, I need to get out more…"

Laughing some more, they stood and headed back to the game booths to lose more money and have more fun. Together.

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A/N: Sorry it's so short, but it's sweet and necessary. Jordan is an OC (just like Beth) who serves a purpose. I try not to make my OC's take too much time in the story, but he's a bit of a catalyst, therefore this chapter. Everyone knows how school was from their perspective, but it's a whole other story when it comes to how other people see them. Jordan is actually kind of a mix between both me and my husband from our high school days. I was the mousy, straight A's, over-analyzing type, and my husband was the floating, rebel, I'll-kick-your-ass-if-you-bad-mouth-my-sister type. 

And a very special set of thanks to everyone who reviewed: **eedoe** (Don't worry. I quite understand about your preoccupation – Johnny, Orlando, and Viggo are quite distracting, aren't they? Thanks for sticking with me! *hugs*), **SithKnight-Galen** (New reviewer! Thank you so much! I consider it an honor to share a special place with Seyruun High Jinx. I hope you continue to enjoy!), **deep sea dolphin** (Another new reviewer! ^_^ I'm glad you hung in there and that you like it! Keep your eyes out in the next few chapters for more Xel-Ame-Zel interactions!), **Aisha C** (Funny how people can deny something one moment, but when they are challenged on it, they are suddenly the thing they denied: The more Zel tries not to think of Amelia as a friend, the more he begins to think of her as a friend. Poor Zel, maybe I'll lay off of him for a while… Naw. Where's the fun in that? *winks*), **Kaeru Shisho** (Isn't Val the best? I wonder why he doesn't have a girl… And just why did Zel just jump when Xel called… I guess, "That's a secret" is in order! *winks* And if I'm making Amelia more likable, then I suppose I'm doing my job! Thanks!), **treefairy** (*blushes to the tips of my toes* Don't be sorry! I'm just glad I'm writing an interesting enough story, but your favorite? And I'm also glad you think I'm doing a good job with Amelia. *blushes more* You're so sweet! Thank you!), and **pogo** (Xelloss has his reasons, but he is laying low for the time being. Hmm… I guess I'm being repetitive in the story. I think I'm getting caught up in writing individual chapters as opposed to a flowing story. That's something for me to be conscious about. Thanks. ^_^)

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	14. Score One for Cyrano

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand is copyright 1923 by Henry Holt and company and in 1951 by Doris C. Hooker. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 14**

**_Score One for Cyrano_**

Amelia and Jordan spent the rest of the day playing at the pier and shopping at the nearby mall. He had absolutely refused to go down to the beach citing the fact that he wasn't properly dressed, but that ended up with Amelia telling him off for not dressing for the weather and the outing in the first place. He mollified her by bringing up shopping, and off they went, to blow more money in an attempt to kill time. At least they had fun.

By the time they got home, Jordan was tired and immediately fell into his bed, even though it was only four thirty. Amelia went to the kitchen to hunt up some food, and to her delight found leftovers from yesterday, an amazing thing since both Lina _and_ Gourry had attended the party. Set for a date with the computer and the lost realm of Wingardium, she piled a plate full of sandwiches, fried chicken, egg rolls, pasta salad, and potato salad, poured herself a large glass of orange-pineapple juice, and carried it up to her room.

Or, at least, she tried to.

Halfway up the stairs, she tripped on a step, and in order to save the plate of food, she dropped her glass to hold it with both hands. Luckily, it was a plastic cup, but the juice splattered everywhere.

"Damn," she muttered. Almost immediately, her hand flew to her mouth, but that only resulted in her losing her grip on the plate, and _that_ tipped its contents all over the front of her and the floor before breaking on the stone steps. Her afternoon snack lay ruined all over the staircase.

_"Oh, this can't get any worse…" _she muttered, trying to pick up soggy sandwiches and broken pieces of the plate.

_Ding-dong._

She sighed. "Shit." 

This time, she didn't try to take it back. She left the mess dripping on the steps, and wiped her hands on her shorts as she went downstairs to find out who it was. She could hear Miss Beth in the backyard yelling for Jordan to answer the door.

"Can I help you?" she demanded, flinging open the door. She was in no mood to look through peepholes or peer cautiously around a half-closed door. But instead of a salesman, it was her new friend dressed casually in his khaki slacks and white shirt. Somehow, she was pretty sure he had his tan sweatshirt in the car. "Oh. Uh, hello, Mister Zelgadiss," she amended with a blush.

"Are you okay, Amelia?" he asked, looking past her into the house, and then his eyes took in the mess covering the front of her. "What happened?" 

"Oh, nothing to worry about," she said waving off his concern. She stepped back to let him inside, then closed the door. "I dropped my food on the way to my room. I was just cleaning up. So, what brings you here?"

They walked a little bit further into the foyer. Zelgadiss was about to answer when Amelia took another step, and slipped, falling ungracefully on her face in a puddle of orange-pineapple juice. He helped her into a sitting position, and she grimaced.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" he wondered, and she could hear Jordan's voice in her head telling her to stop being sorry for things she can't help. Damn Dr. Phil.

"Nothing, I guess. I'm a bit of a klutz, as you can see."

"Here, up you go." 

She stood carefully, and with his help (which she refused, but he still helped anyway) they were able to clean up the mess that she had made. They worked quietly, and for once she was glad. Her hope that her days of klutziness were over was squashed in a grand display. She still had no idea how she had gotten up on that table at prom in the first place, much less stay on it without falling down. And simply walking up steps with her hands full was too much to ask of herself. Oh, well. 

When they were done, Amelia was wringing out a damp rag into the kitchen sink when she realized that Zelgadiss hadn't yet told her why he was there in the first place. He seemed in no hurry to tell her the reason, so she simply waited.

"Would you like something to drink, Mister Zelgadiss? I promise, this time, I won't spill it."

He smirked a little, then answered, "I guess whatever you slipped in would be okay, provided it comes directly from the refrigerator and not the bucket."

With a laugh, she poured them both a glass, and handed him his.

"Thank you. By the way, is Phil here? There's something I'd like to speak with him about."

"Daddy?" So that was the reason. With a pang of jealousy (though she didn't quite understand why she should feel jealous of Zelgadiss coming over to see her father instead of herself), she shook her head. "No, he flew out to Atlas City this morning. He should be back late tonight, though."

"Oh. Well, it can wait until another time."

She continued to drink her juice, sipping quietly. Zelgadiss had finished his juice and was still sitting on the stool at the island in the kitchen, watching her finish her drink. _If Daddy's not here, and he's done with his drink, why doesn't he leave?_

"Are you finished with your drink, Mister Zelgadiss?"

"Yes, thank you, Amelia." He handed her back the glass.

She placed both glasses in the dishwasher, and turned back to her guest. He seemed to be lost in thought, and while she enjoyed his company, she wanted to be doing something other than sitting in the kitchen.

"Was there something I could help you with then, since Daddy's not here?"

He looked up at her, and seemed almost surprised to find her still standing there. 

"Oh, no thank you. Well, I was wondering… I'm meeting a… friend for dinner, and I wanted to know if you'd be interested in going too?"

"Really? When? Where at?"

"We're meeting at 6:30 at the Cobbler Factory at the Marina. Dinner would be on us, of course."

"Oooh, the Cobbler Factory? I haven't been there in a long time. That would be fun… but… are you sure your friend wouldn't mind?"

"No, I don't think he would."

"Okay. I guess I'd better change," she thought aloud, looking down at her tank top and shorts. They still had juice and potato salad and soggy bread smeared all over them. "Should I meet you there?"

"No, it gets too crowded on the weekends. Don't worry. I can drive. I'll wait if you need to get ready."

With nothing else to worry about, she nodded and told him that he could wait for her in the library or the billiard room if he felt like it, and went upstairs to clean up. Deciding that dressing semi-casual would be appropriate, she pulled out a pair of cream-colored slacks and her favorite cream and pink blouse. She dressed quickly, grabbed her purse, and was downstairs in less than ten minutes.

Before she went to find Zelgadiss, she popped her head in Jordan's room and found him on his computer instead of asleep.

"I'm going to dinner with a friend, Jordan. Can you please let your mom know?"

He looked up from his screen and smirked.

"You didn't waste any time finding a friend, did you? Is he nice?"

"Who, Mister Zelgadiss? Oh, he just invited me to dinner. It's nothing like that at all. But he is very nice."

Jordan shrugged and turned back to his computer. "If you say so. Have fun."

Amelia smiled and went to find Zelgadiss. She found him sitting in the library, leafing through one of the hundreds of books lining the walls. Tilting her head to better see the title on the cover, she found it was the book, _Cyrano de Bergerac_, and he seemed to be engrossed in it.

She recited lightly, 

" _Night, making all things dimly beautiful,_

_One veil over us both—You only see_

_ The darkness of a long cloak in the gloom,_

_And I the whiteness of a summer gown--"_

He looked up from the book and to her surprise, picked up where she left off.

_"You are all light—I am all shadow!… How_

_Can you know what this moment means to me?_" 

He closed the book. "You seem to know your classics," he said with an approving nod as he got up to put the tome in its rightful place.

"I read that story when I was younger and then again in school for English class. I think it was a lovely story, though sad."

"Yes," he said, passing a scarred finger over the spine of the book. "Cyrano was too noble a man, and Roxanne loved Christian's face too much." He turned to her. "Shall we go?"

"Sure."

They left the house after Amelia called another quick goodbye to Jordan, and took Zelgadiss' car. He turned on the CD player, and Jimmy Hendrix played softly through the speakers as they drove down the hill. It had initially surprised Amelia that someone so conscious of his looks would buy a car that usually garnered looks, but after more thought, she realized that no one could really see through the tinted windows. There had to be more to it, though.

"I think you're wrong," she mentioned after a few more minutes of _Voodoo Child_. "I think that Roxanne was initially attracted to Christian, for obvious reasons, but if it weren't for his and Cyrano's deception, she would have discovered her love for Cyrano much earlier."

"True," he admitted, "but you have to agree that she was a bit of an airhead to fall for a guy based purely on his looks. He even almost gave himself away. If it weren't for Cyrano stepping in to save the day, he wouldn't have gotten very far."

"But you also have to remember that if Cyrano hadn't unjustly written her all those letters without Christian's knowledge, she wouldn't have fallen so much in love with him."

"Which 'him'?" Zelgadiss wondered. This little debate was actually very interesting.

"Both of them, I guess. Christian's face with Cyrano's soul. She did tell Christian, though, that she would love him, even if he were ugly. It was Cyrano's pride that kept him from telling her the truth."

"Really? I thought he was being noble by not tarnishing his friend's name and memory. He even told Christian that she loved him and not Cyrano."

"You've got a good point, but Cyrano did in fact tell Roxanne that it was he who wrote all those letters, and that it was him under her window, but only at the very end when he was on the verge of death. How is that love for Roxanne? To have her find and then lose the man she truly loved all in the span of a few minutes? If that were me, I'd have wanted Cyrano to tell me sooner."

Zelgadiss grinned. Amelia was so empathetic. She didn't just sympathize with people, she _felt_ what they were going through as if it were herself. It was only a matter of time before she pulled herself into the story.

"Yes, but Roxanne was a very shallow person, Amelia. If it had been you, you probably would have seen Cyrano and his love earlier than she did, and Christian wouldn't have even been an issue."

She was about to open her mouth to argue, but found herself smiling instead. Did he just give her a compliment?

"Yes, I suppose you're right. But Roxanne had known Cyrano for many years, so his appearance was normal for her. I don't fault her for making that mistake. I'm… I'm ashamed to admit that when I first met you, I was unsure what to think of you." She glanced over at him, and his face had gone serious, like the first day they had driven alone together. "Oh! Please don't be angry with me, Mister Zelgadiss! I didn't know what to think at first, but after we spoke, it didn't matter. You're such a nice person, and we haven't known each other long, but I know you're a nice guy… Oh, I'm messing it all up…"

"Don't worry, Amelia," Zelgadiss soothed. His voice wasn't harsh or reprimanding. Just patient. "Your honesty is actually refreshing. I'm used to people either staring and making a big issue out of it, or people pretending I'm not scarred and hideous and making a big issue out of it."

"But you're not hideous! Sure you have scars, but anyone could see that you're still handsome and cool-looking." Her hands flew to cover her mouth, and it felt like her face was absolutely burning.

He laughed again, startling her. He was usually very reserved and didn't talk much, but she had been able to engage him in small talk, and now he was laughing again. Strange, indeed.

"Thank you, Amelia. _Your_ honesty is something I don't mind hearing." Blushing a deeper shade of red, she almost missed his next question. "Speaking of honesty, I know you've probably been asked this a dozen times, and I'm probably beating a dead horse, but I still don't quite understand it myself. Why did you go to the prom with Xelloss? I covered for you with Lina and your friend Val, but I think I deserve to know why. Xelloss may have been a gentleman, but more happened that night than you want your friends to know."

Amelia sighed. Why, when things were going well, was there always something to bring her back down to earth? _You need to find someone who'll not only listen to you when you have problems, but someone you can count on to be there for you the same way you can be for them. _Jordan's words of wisdom hit her again. She took a deep breath.

"If you must know, my Daddy asked Mister Xelloss to bring me to the prom since no one asked me to go. Mister Gourry and Mister Val were busy, and I didn't have a date."

For a second, Zelgadiss turned his head and looked at her, an incredulous look on his face. He looked back in time to see the red light and stop before the intersection with a loud screech. Amelia went on as if nothing happened.

"I guess I was a little irritated that no one even asked me, so when Mister Xelloss gave me those screwdrivers, I figured that since no one bothered to ask me to have a good time, I would make sure I had a blast."

"You don't have a boyfriend? Someone you like?"

"No. I dated a couple of guys, but none of them worked out. Mister Ken was very nice and very honorable, but after our sophomore year, he went abroad to train in martial arts, and when he came back, we kind of drifted apart. I guess we never 'officially' broke up, but it's official when you never go out with each other anymore. He was the nicest one. Chad, well, he was another story."

"What was his problem?"

"Well, we went out a few times earlier this year. He was nice at first, bought me flowers, took me out to dinner and movies, typical stuff. But all he wanted to do was make out afterwards." With that, she reddened again, but glancing at her, he could see it was in anger. "He kept pushing and pushing to go further… I don't think he appreciated it when I flipped him to the ground, locked his arms behind his back and sat on him until Jordan came to pick me up."

She flipped her hair casually, remembering with a self-assured smile. The move reminded him of Naga; it was a little scary.

"He was my last boyfriend, and I don't think he really appreciated the way I broke up with him. He said some… unjust things to Jordan yesterday at the graduation ceremony." It felt oddly relieving to share some of her thoughts and feelings with someone who she didn't believe would judge her. Somehow, _not_ knowing him so closely made it easier to talk with him. But she didn't want the relationship to be one-sided. He'd have to talk with her, too. 

"So that's why I ended up going with Mister Xelloss. I didn't like that Daddy set me up with him, but during prom I got my head all twisted around with the alcohol and something my friend said, and before I knew it… Well, you know…"

"I can see why you would want a fresh start with someone," he commented, turning into the parking lot of the Cobbler Factory. "So, is it going to be with Xelloss?"

It was crowded, as he had said, so he pulled up to the valet parking. They opened the door for Amelia, and she stepped out into the cool air. The sky was gorgeous, she noted with pleasure, streaked with pinks and oranges and purples and reds. She hoped they had good seats. The view of the setting sun over the ocean was going to be spectacular.

After Zelgadiss handed the keys to the valet, he stepped over to Amelia who was smiling, looking up at the sky. His face softened seeing her in a simple moment of pure innocent joy. He was only slightly aware of the stares he was getting from the patrons waiting outside. Right then, he just didn't care. When he placed his hand at the small of Amelia's back to guide her inside the restaurant, she moved forward easily, as if she were waiting for the motion.

"I don't know, Mister Zelgadiss," she said with a shrug, continuing their conversation. "I don't know him that well, and I know that a few of my friends don't like him at all, but I don't want that to prejudice me against him."

"There's a lot of 'don'ts' in that answer," he muttered. She smacked his arm playfully. "Does that mean that you want to discover for yourself that he's an incorrigible lout who only thinks about himself?" He smirked, and she smacked him again.

"Mister Zelgadiss!" she scolded, but she was smiling.

They waited for a couple of minutes while the restaurant finished getting their table ready (Zelgadiss had slipped the hostess a twenty for good seats), and they talked about trivial things: the décor (a strange mix between country cottage and modern,) the Marina (in which they both found out that neither had been on a yacht before,) and the upcoming auto show (they decided to take Zelgadiss' car, but bring pictures of hers in case she found vendors selling the parts she needed.) Before they knew it, they were being seated at the front window with a perfect view of the sunset over the ocean.

"This is wonderful. The last time I was here, we got stuck behind that pillar," she said, pointing to the back corner. "Daddy and Gracia didn't seem to care, but I wanted to see."

Zelgadiss merely nodded and picked up his menu. Amelia looked around.

"Aren't we going to wait for your friend?"

"No, he said to start without him if he wasn't here on time." He seemed unfazed.

"Oh. Okay." She picked up her menu as well, and decided on the grilled salmon with Cajun seasoning with roasted red potatoes and grilled vegetables, a cup of clam chowder on the side, and to drink, lemonade. (^_^) Zelgadiss ordered the grilled tuna steak with rice pilaf and grilled vegetables, clam chowder on the side, and an iced tea, no lemon. (~_^)

"By the way, I enjoyed the party yesterday. It was as interesting as your sister's."

Amelia, who had been drinking her lemonade, began coughing violently. She covered her mouth with her napkin as she fought to breathe correctly. Finally, she looked up and saw her companion regarding her with concern.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, clearing her throat. "Wrong pipe… Mister Zelgadiss, you were at my sister's party?"

"Of course. I think half the school was invited. I didn't stay for the end of that one either."

"So you weren't there when I…"

She stopped as their dinner arrived, and she welcomed the distraction. They ate in relative silence, enjoying the sun sinking slowly into the ocean, where sailboats and yachts drifted casually by. As she finished her salmon, it suddenly occurred to her that they were still missing someone.

"Is your friend going to make it?"

Zelgadiss frowned, appearing to only realize it himself. He took out his cel phone and punched in a number. He waited a moment before he began speaking.

"Where are you? Well, we're eating now. No. We'll be done by the time you get here. _If_ you get here. Maybe. Nevermind. If we're gone, we're gone. Bye."

He shook his head and continued eating. Maybe his friend wasn't going to show up after all. Not that she cared. Mister Zelgadiss was pleasant company, and she was enjoying herself. They finished their dinner and moved on to dessert. Amelia ordered the peach/apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream, and Zelgadiss ordered a cup of coffee. She was able to entice him to have just one bite of the dessert, which he declared was excellent, before happily eating the rest by herself. Just as the waiter took the plates away and handed them the check, someone rushed up to the table.

"Mister Xelloss!"

"I'm sorry I was late. There was a last minute problem with that thing I told you about, and they needed me to stay. I got it resolved, but it was a mess. Oh, let me get that. It's the least I can do," he said, taking the check and waving the waiter over.

"But you didn't even eat," Amelia noted.

"I ate at the office. Nothing to worry about." 

"It's okay, Xelloss, I've got it," Zelgadiss muttered, his mood suddenly darker, as he snatched the check from his hand. The waiter came and took his card immediately. "Go on ahead. I'll meet you at the front." He motioned for the two to go, and Amelia picked up her things, a little unsure until she met his eye. Zel nodded his assent, and she stood to leave. When Xelloss placed his hand at the small of her back to guide her out, she jumped in surprise at his touch, before giggling and walking with him to the front door. Zelgadiss watched as they walked away. His opinion of his friend was getting lower by the minute. He knew what Xelloss was telling her: _I want to see you more often, but I know that some of your friends won't take too kindly to you dating me. I have the perfect solution. You could go out with Zelgadiss, and I could meet up with you. From there, we would do our thing while he waits _(twiddling his thumbs)_, then you could return home with Zelgadiss, and no one would be the wiser. _

"Except me," Zelgadiss muttered aloud. The more and more he thought about this stupid scheme, the more and more he hated it. He hoped Amelia would refuse, but he knew that she was too nice a girl to say no so quickly. No, she would give him a chance. She had given that Chad kid a chance.

After paying, Zelgadiss opened the front door to go outside, but stopped short upon seeing Amelia and Xelloss quietly talking on the steps down to the parking lot. She smiled a little and nodded at his words, then gave him a quick hug before he ran down to a sleek black BMW Z8 in the parking lot. Once Xelloss left, Zelgadiss composed himself and continued on, noting that Amelia was rubbing her bare arms. She saw him and smiled and made her way over as he gave the valet his ticket.

"So…" he said, trying to sound casual. "Where's Xelloss?"

"He had to leave: do some things that were 'a secret.' He said that he was sorry again." She appeared neither happy nor sad nor angry.

"So, what did he have to say?"

The valet pulled around and parked. Zelgadiss opened the door for Amelia as she got in, then paid the man before sliding into his car. Without being asked, he reached into the back seat and handed her his tan hooded sweatshirt. She accepted it with a small thanks and a smile before putting it on.

They had driven a couple of blocks before she spoke.

"What is it about me that people find strange and unapproachable?"

He wasn't prepared for a question like that. He didn't get the chance to answer, because she continued.

"Why would he think that we need a chaperone to go out? No offence to you, Mister Zelgadiss, but to use you as a decoy so he could see me? That's very unjust… You must know that was why you asked me to dinner." He nodded, barely, but it was enough. "I don't fault you, though."

"Did you refuse him then?" he hoped aloud.

"No, because I kind of understand his reasons. I guess I said 'yes' because I want to give him a chance. One chance only. I don't like the thought of sneaking around, and I'm not that stupid." She pouted, but then smiled at another thought. "Besides, it's an excuse for me to see you as well. I enjoy talking with you, Mister Zelgadiss."

"You need an excuse?" he teased, and he was rewarded with a blush. Smiling, he went on more seriously, "Thank you, Amelia. I enjoy it as well."

"Next time, though, let's talk more about you." His face fell, and she giggled. Zel chuckled with her, and they drove up the hill talking about whatever came to mind.

*******************************

A/N: Just a little friendly conversation. For those of you who don't know, Cyrano de Bergerac is a classic play about a dashing man (Cyrano) with a penchant for language and rhyme. The catch: he has an overly large nose, which is cause for much angst. He is in love with the fair Roxanne who loves him as a friend, while she falls for handsome Christian, who has no verbal prowess whatsoever. In order for Christian to get the girl, he enlists Cyrano to feed him lines to woo Roxanne, who in turn falls in love. But with _whom_? The story progresses from there. I have not done it justice in this summary, but it is a great classic story.

Thanks to **eedoe** for the idea about Ken (and "the lost realm of Wingardium" was for you!)

Special thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm touched that you guys liked Jordan. And, yes, "The Cobbler Factory" is a re-do of "The Cheesecake Factory" although the entrees come from someplace akin to "Charlie Brown's." 

**Cookie** (Always good to hear from you! I'm happy you're enjoying how much this little fic is growing, and I hope it will continue to do so. ^_^), **Otaku M-chan** (New reviewer! I really am touched when people say that this is one of their favorite fics! *blushes* I'll try to keep it interesting and fun for you guys. Thanks!), **Deep Sea Dolphin** (I know what you mean about OC's, but I'm glad that you thought it worked. Thanks for keeping with me! ^_^), **Aisha C** (Hee hee! It wouldn't be an A/Z romance without someone *special* like that. ^_^ And hang in there for the car show "date." I'm actually writing it right now, but it will take another four chappies before we get there. Never fear. More fun to come!), **SithKnight-Galen** (Glad you like my take on Amelia's "perkiness!" We'll see if these two figure things out. ~_^ And it's slow going, but I'll get to the other Slayers in time. Thanks!), **Kaeru Shisho** (Warm and fuzzy moments are nice. Of course, what do they say about the calm? -_-;; Oh well. I'm blushing at the fact that you like the way I'm handling Amelia. She wasn't my favorite person when I first watched the anime almost ten years ago – has it been that long??? – but one can see how she grows up along the way, and now she's my favorite. I just wanted to bring her more depth of character. Thanks for letting me know that I'm succeeding!)

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Click the button and review!


	15. No Leaf Clover

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. The title "No Leaf Clover" is owned by Metallica. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 15**

**_No Leaf Clover_**

Days passed quickly, as they often did, and before Amelia realized it, the end of June was upon them. She worked at the bookstore full time, but she thoroughly enjoyed her designation as "The Story Lady." Story Time was something that she looked forward to every day. Word had spread quickly about the nice pretty lady who read books to the children, and Book 'N' Brew soon increased their business because of the little spitfire who was hired just a month ago.

Her incident with the shoplifter placed her in a unique position in the store, and in hopes to reduce shrinkage, when Amelia was not working in the Children's section, she was to "patrol" the aisles, speaking with the customers and keeping an overall eye on the patrons. Her presence, management hoped, would help deter any would-be shoplifters, something that had been proven within the first few days when the girl talked "Ole Joe" (a regular problem) out of the store by relating to him all the evils of stealing. He hadn't been back since.

After many successive satisfying days of enriching children's minds with new stories and getting them interested in reading, as well as preventing crime and misdeeds from occurring, she was actually surprised when a customer was rude to her.

"How many times do I have to tell you? The book was _just_ on PBS yesterday," a tall, overly tan man grumbled through his too-straight teeth.

"I know, sir, but I didn't happen to see the show. Do you remember the name of the book or the author?"

"I don't know what it was! It was a hardcover book with a blue cover and white letters."

Amelia blinked. He surely didn't expect her to know every blue book with white writing in the entire store.

"What was it about, sir? I might be able to look it up…"

"I don't know what it was about. My wife was the one watching the TV, and she told me to get her that book, so here I am. Don't you people watch TV? Is there anyone else who could help me?"

"Of course, sir. Let me call the manager." As she picked up the phone to call Jack in his office, she heard the man mutter under his breath.

"The girl probably doesn't know her ass from a rock…"

The heat rose up her face so quickly, she felt like a pressure cooker waiting to explode. Her ears were ringing. Of all the rude, ignorant, stupid…

"Hello?" Jack finally answered.

"Hi, Mister Jack," she said, voice bubbly to cover up the anger. "There's a guy up here who would like a manager's help to find a book based purely on the way it looks. Oh, I've tried already. He doesn't know the author, the title, or the subject and seems to think that I don't know my 'ass from a rock.'" She shot the man a dirty look. He seemed surprised that she had heard. "No, Jack, I think you'd better get up here now before I do or say something I'll regret not having done or said earlier. Thank you!"

She hung up the phone and leaned forward on the counter separating her and the customer. Smiling through clenched teeth, she said, "He'll be right up to help you, sir. I hope he'll be able to better serve you than I was." He was starting to look uncomfortable, but she kept talking, for once ignoring that little voice in her head that usually kept her out of trouble. "Now, I really didn't think anyone was looking at my butt, but since you brought it up, what kind of rock would you compare it to, sir?"

Several customers turned in surprise and stared at this man who was looking at this girl's rear end. A few sneered in disgust, while others began stage whispering, "Yuck, what a pervert" or "See honey? Stay away from those kinds of men." One of the other employees, Cathy, who was nearby, smirked as she helped another person find their book.

Thankfully, Jack appeared, and introduced himself. The man, a little more subdued now, explained to him what he was looking for, and surprisingly enough, Jack had seen the show and knew what book he was looking for. Amelia gladly handed the customer off to her boss and fled for the safety of the restroom to calm herself down. She splashed cold water on her face to wash away the angry tears that were pricking the corners of her eyes.

"Are you okay, Amelia?" a familiar voice asked. She looked up with a smile as Lina patted her gently on the back. "Cathy just told me what happened. Jack had to stop me from going over there and pounding that guy's face. I'll show him what a rock is!"

Amelia laughed. "I'm better now, Miss Lina. I just couldn't believe how rude he was when all I was trying to do was help him. I hope I don't get in trouble with Mister Jack."

"Just explain what happened. He's very understanding." To herself, she grumbled, "And if he's not, I'll make sure he's okay with it."

"Okay." She took a deep cleansing sigh before the smile re-appeared on her face. "Are you coming over after work?" It was Friday night, and Lina was thinking about sleeping over for the weekend.

"No, I can't," she whined. "Luna's bullying me into going with her up to Atlas City this weekend. Can you imagine? And we're not even flying. We're _driving_!!! Six hours, crammed in a car with _her_, and nothing I say will make her change her mind."

"Why does your sister want you to go with her? She never has before."

"I don't know. I think she wants to use me as her bank, and she knows that I won't say 'no' to her. This trip is going to kill me. Or worse," she shrieked, a horrible thought suddenly springing to mind. "She's going to spend all my money!"

Amelia felt bad for her friend. She knew all about scary older sisters, but Luna took the cake. Even Gracia wasn't _that_ bad. Luna was a sixth degree blackbelt, though she never competed in tournaments, and she had made Lina start kempo when she was four years old. Rigorous practice almost every day for thirteen years had gotten Lina her second black belt, and out from under Luna's intense scrutiny. Since then, Luna only bothered Lina when she needed something, but the younger girl's fear of her sister had been so deeply ingrained in her that she always agreed, no matter what it was. Although Lina had gotten her third belt earlier this year, she was still well under her sister's influence.

"Cheer up, Miss Lina. Maybe something will come up and you won't have to go!"

"Maybe. Well, let's get back to work. I'm sure everyone is wondering where we both went." Lina smirked, and both feeling a little better, the girls got back to work.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At eight o'clock, Amelia waved a quick goodbye to Lina as she left the store. Her shift was over, but Lina was staying until eleven. Jack had asked Amelia about what happened earlier, and she explained everything that she had said, including the stuff she didn't stop herself from saying. Unfortunately, the man happened to be a friend of one of the biggest patrons of the store, and although Jack patted her on the back and thanked her for being patient with the man, he wrote her up for cursing to a customer (even though she only repeated what the customer had said – where was the justice in that???). He also warned her that if the situation ever occurred again, to call the manager on duty before it got to that point again. She meekly agreed.

Amelia walked out to the parking lot, and for once, was annoyed that she parked so far away. She was not a negative person, but so far, this day was not shaping up to get any better. All she wanted was to get something to eat and go home to veg out in front of the TV.

As she approached her car, which was the only one in this section of the lot, her fist tightened upon hearing someone following her. Glancing back, she saw that it was a shady-looking man dressed all in black, and he was walking directly at her. _Oh, villains wear black._ She looked back to her Mustang, and with a sinking feeling in her stomach, noticed a big puddle of liquid under her car.

She was about to turn around to go back to the store so she could be closer to other people if this guy decided to do anything when another car drove into the parking lot and headed towards her. When it got next to her, the car stopped. Her heart leapt when she realized who it was, and she almost ran to it when the man driving rolled down his window.

"Amelia, let me give you a ride home," Zelgadiss said, looking over her shoulder. Without questioning him, she nodded and got in. When in the safety of the car, she looked for the man who had been following her, and he was walking away quickly in the direction of the bus stop. "Are you okay?" he asked, driving around her car and giving it a cursory inspection before pulling away to the exit.

She nodded, then said, "It's lucky you came by, Mister Zelgadiss. Thank you so much."

"No problem, Amelia. I was actually parked not too far from you, and when I left, I noticed your car was leaking. I pulled around to the front so I could catch you when you left, but you were too fast." She wasn't shaking as much anymore, so he went on. "I saw that guy back there, too. I already put a call in to the police to keep an eye on him. You really need to park closer or leave with another person."

"I know. I usually leave with Miss Lina, but she's working the closing shift tonight because she wanted to get out of going to Atlas City with her sister, but it didn't work. They're still leaving tonight." A sudden thought struck her. "Oh, what do I do about my car?"

"You can come back for it tomorrow. Maybe Gourry can fix it."

She sighed. Today was definitely not turning out to be a good day.

"Are you really okay? You never answered me."

"I'm okay now." She sighed again. "Alright, maybe I'm not okay. I should have known that this would be a doozy of a day when I woke up late and tripped going down the stairs. Luckily, I didn't get hurt, but I ripped my favorite skirt, so I had to go back up to change, then when I got to work, this guy was rude when I tried to help him and told me that I couldn't tell my ass from a rock, then Miss Lina told me that she can't stay over for the weekend, then I got written up for cursing, and then some scary person followed me to my car, and finally my car's leaking all over the parking lot. Just when I thought that everything was going just fine, all this happens. It sucks."

"Bad day?"

She threw him a dirty look, but snorted when she saw him smirk.

"Yeah, I guess it is… But, buy me dinner and dessert, and I'll be better," she tried.

"You're just as bad as Lina, you know that?" She nodded innocently, and he turned the car around and headed back towards Restaurant Row. Amelia thanked him, and they headed to one of the restaurants to eat.

Zel picked a place that was not too crowded, and they were seated immediately. Again, he hardly noticed the stares, and was even somewhat pleasant to the waiter when he came to take their order. With nothing to distract them, however, Amelia turned to conversation.

"So, you never really talk about yourself, Mister Zelgadiss. Tell me something about yourself."

He sipped his iced tea and looked at her. Damn, she was right about discussing _him_ the next time they went out. Deciding on the most obvious subject, he cleared his throat.

"I was a marksman in the Atlas City Police Department, S.W.A.T. division." He was not a proud man, but he did have pride in that. 

"You were a sniper?"

He nodded in self-satisfaction, his eyes closed as he thought about his earlier days in the police force, before the accident. _Those were better days_, he thought wistfully. _At least being a sniper is something I can still do._ With his eyes closed, he missed the doubtful look in his companion's eyes.

"Did you ever kill anyone?" she whispered, voice slightly trembling.

His eyes opened upon hearing that, and he tried to placate her. "Er… I did have to shoot some people…" Her eyes widened, and he began stammering, "…but I never went for the kill-shot… I… I only shot to incapacitate them… well, a couple of them I had to, but… umm… they were criminals anyway…"

"That's okay, Mister Zelgadiss. I understand. You were protecting people, right?" It was difficult to admit that shooting people was okay in certain cases, since Amelia hated guns, but she understood that if only the bad guys had the guns, the world would be a horrible place.

She smiled, and Zelgadiss immediately felt comfortable again.

"It wasn't something that was easy, you know, but I figured that if I wasn't out there doing my job, more people could get hurt," he echoed her thoughts.

"You're right." She looked at him for a moment before wondering, "I thought you said that you got hurt by a chemical weapon bomb."

Strangely, he did not mind the question. He took a deep breath and began his story. 

"I wanted to broaden my areas of expertise, so with my Captain's permission, I trained with a couple of my friends in the bomb squad to learn how to neutralize different types of incendiary devices. I was very good, or so they told me." His eyes unfocused, and it was clear that he was seeing back to those days.  He continued, "One day, we went out on a call: suspicious metallic object located in an air-conditioning vent in one of the buildings downtown. Once we evacuated the building, Rodimus took a look at the object and determined that it was some kind of device set to disperse a chemical into the ventilation system. Before we had a chance to don our gas masks, the thing just exploded. Rodimus and Zolf took the full brunt of the blast since they were closer, and I had just enough time to cover my face with my hands. The chemical burned most of my body, but this (he indicated his ears, the backs of his hands, and the scars along his jaw line and around his eyes) was the worst of it."

His eyes refocused on the world around him, and he looked up to see Amelia sitting across from him, both hands covering her mouth and tears welling up in her eyes. 

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss. I'm so sorry that you had to go through something like that. What happened to your friends?"

He shook his head. "They didn't make it." She made a small sound of distress, and the first tear trickled down her cheek. Rather than making him stop, she leaned closer, nodding her head for him to continue. "I spent the next six months in the hospital recovering, and the next six after that trying to settle with the city. I found out in that time that because of the type of burns that I've sustained, only a handful of doctors in the entire country could do that kind of reconstructive surgery, and they aren't exactly cheap, either. So I was thankful that my hearing and eyesight wasn't damaged and that everything still worked the way it was supposed to. I'm just glad to be alive." 

Amelia got up from the table at that moment and crossed over to slide into the booth next to him. Without saying a word, she wrapped her arms around him. With a blush dusting his cheeks, he accepted the hug. Her silent compassion was oddly comforting.

When she released him, he gave her a lopsided smirk as she wiped away her tears. She didn't pity him. She felt the pain and the loss he had suffered as if she had been in his place.

"Thank you," he whispered, and those two words put the smile back on her face.

Dinner was served, and a new level of friendship was discovered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You mean to tell me that you arrested her?" Amelia's light laugh was shushed by the sound of the tide rolling up onto the beach.

The two had enjoyed dinner, and since the night was young and the conversation was interesting, Amelia had suggested a walk along the beach to "burn off" the huge banana sundae she had inhaled after dinner. Zelgadiss took his obligatory trial bite, declared it to be good, and politely declined any more, opting for a cup of coffee instead. He figured that after the day she had, he could be generous, and Amelia was all ears when he offered to tell her how he met her best friend.

"_I_ wanted to. Gourry and I were already at the end of our shift, on our way into the station, when a bunch of kids at the mall flagged us down to let us know that there was a fight. By the time we got there, only one person was left standing: little Lina Inverse, the new Dragon Spooker of North High." He smirked at the memory of a fifteen-year-old Lina, getting a bad rap for defending herself against the "Black Dragon Gang" by plastering them all over the sidewalk. "I wanted to arrest the lot of them, but Gourry was immediately infected with her. She turned on the cute act, and it was too late. He talked me out of it. After that, Gourry insisted on buying her dinner, and we became friends. Even when I moved to Atlas City later that year, Lina and Gourry still kept in touch with me."

"Wow. That's so neat. I guess that's why Miss Lina never mentioned how she met Mister Gourry since he almost arrested her." She giggled and did a little spin in the sand, almost losing her balance, but she righted herself quickly. Maybe she had too much sugar. As if nothing happened, she continued, "So you and Mister Gourry were partners?"

He smirked. "Gourry and I were friends back in high school, and after I graduated and entered the police academy, I met up with him again. After the academy, we were partnered together at the downtown station, and the rest is history."

She smiled. They walked a little farther, then turned around and began heading back towards the car in comfortable silence. Amelia was really trying to think of a way to bring up something she had wondered about for a while, but knew that if she pressed him any more about his personal life tonight, especially his feelings about her sister, he could retreat back into his shell. So, instead, she remained quiet, enjoying the clear summer night and thinking that this was a perfect ending to a bad day.

_Ring. Ring._

Her reverie broken, she sighed as she reached into her purse for her cel phone.

"Hello? Hello? What! When did it… Where is he? Okay. I'll be right there. No. We'll leave right now. Bye." 

Her voice had become increasingly panicked, and Zelgadiss became worried. "Who was that?"

She turned to him, eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Miss Beth. She said that… she said that Jordan… Jordan was… and a car ran the red and…"

He put his hands on her shoulders to calm her and bent down to look into her eyes.

"Where do we need to go, Amelia?"

"Saillune Memorial."

With a shuddering sob, she allowed Zelgadiss to guide her quickly back to his car. He displayed an amazing sensitivity as he rubbed her shoulders soothingly in the suddenly cold night air.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What happened, Amelia?" Zelgadiss asked when she came out to the waiting room. They had arrived in a matter of minutes since the hospital was only three miles away, and when they found out where Jordan's room was, he let her go to him. He questioned the nurses and the EMT's, but no one was really forthcoming with information. So he waited for an hour by himself, watching the clock as the minute hand approached the six. Ten thirty.

Amelia came over and sat down next to him, wringing her hands in her lap. Her eyes were still red from crying, and he could tell that she was still trying to compose herself. He waited patiently and watched as she opened and closed her mouth, no sound coming out. She jumped when he placed a hand on her back, and for the second time that night, he found himself holding the girl tenderly.

"He was going to the store to pick up some things for Miss Beth," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "When he got to the intersection, a car ran the red and smashed into his car. They had to _saw_ him out of the car…" She clutched his shirt as more sobs wracked her body. 

"Will he make it?" he asked when she stopped crying, afraid for her if the answer was negative.

She suddenly sat up straight, a new light of determination in her eyes.

"Of course he'll make it. He's got to make it. The doctors said that they need to keep an eye on him for the next twenty-four hours before they can give us a better idea of his condition. He's got a broken leg and they said a lot of internal injuries, but his neck and his head are okay, so that's a good sign. Right?"

He smiled, giving her some degree of confidence in her words, but inside he worried. If the doctors were not able to give them a definitive answer right away, then that meant that they were worried about something that they'd need to keep an eye on. If the rescue workers had to use the jaws-of-life to get him out, the accident must have been a bad one. He did not have a good feeling about the fate of her friend.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zelgadiss wearily unlocked the door to his house and took a grateful step inside. He closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. His home was a perfect sanctuary for him: a quaint three-bedroom craftsman style house close to the beach. He had loved the architecture and the rich warm wood tones throughout, as well as the beautiful original hardwood floors. His favorite features, though, were the French doors that opened up onto the patio: they were done as an exact replica of a Frank Lloyd Wright window panel. 

He sat down on his brown leather couch and ran his fingers through his wiry lavender hair. Looking up, he saw that it was just past midnight. It had been a long day. Phil had felt terrible for asking Beth to have the boy run to the store for groceries and insisted on staying with the poor woman through her vigil. Amelia, although she almost demanded to stay with them, fell asleep in the waiting room, and Phil had been firm with Zelgadiss to bring her home. She put up a fuss, but she withered under Zelgadiss' gaze and allowed him to drive her back up the hill.

The young man shook his head to clear it and went to the office to check his messages. He frowned at the voice that issued forth from the little black box, and he picked up the phone. This was not going to end a good day at all.

"_Hello?_" a groggy voice answered.

"It's me," Zelgadiss said loudly, knowing that it would annoy the other person. "You told me to call when I got in. What do you want?"

"_Well, hello to you, too, Zel._"

"What do you want, Xelloss? It's late, I've had a long day, and I want to go to sleep."

"_Hmm… I guess I want a bigger salary and a new car and… well, the other thing I want is a secret, but what I want from_ you_ is something different._"

"I hate you."

"_You know you don't. I wanted you to call Amelia so I could treat her to a nice dinner and a movie tomorrow. I was thinking about somewhere on the pier and then…_"

Zelgadiss cut him off. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"_Oh, really?_"

"Yeah, umm… her friend, the housekeeper's son, was in a really bad accident tonight. I don't think she'll be up to going out this weekend." Silence met him, and he wondered if Xelloss fell asleep. "Hello?"

"_I appreciate your concern, Zelgadiss, but don't you think that Amelia should make up her own mind? I don't know if she would appreciate it if she knew that you were making her decisions for her._"

"That's… that's not what I…"

"_Besides,_" he continued, cutting Zelgadiss off, "_how did you happen to know this little bit of information?_"

He sighed, more out of irritation than anything else. He needed his sleep, and Xelloss was beginning to annoy him.

"I gave her a ride home since her car was leaking. I bought her dinner, and then she got the call that her friend was in the hospital. Is that alright with you? Look, she had a really bad day, and it ended with her friend getting into a bad accident…"

"_Do you have a problem with our arrangement? If you want out, let me know. I don't _have_ to work on your case. No? Good. Just let her know, Zelgadiss. Tomorrow evening at 6:00. El Torito at the pier. Movie afterwards. Goodnight._"

_Click._

Zelgadiss closed his eyes as he placed the phone back in its cradle. He took a deep breath and tried desperately to not envision himself strangling the man. They were not close friends, by any means, but each had a certain degree of respect for the other, and each had resources the other needed. _Quid pro quo._ Now, however, Zel seemed to owe more to Xelloss, and he absolutely _hated_ being used.

Amelia was right. Today sucked.

*********************

A/N: *ducks flying objects* Okay, I had written this chapter a while ago, and I didn't think Jordan would be as well liked as he was. Now I feel bad… Well, at least now we know a little bit more about Zelgadiss' past and why he does some of the things he does. It sucks having something held over your head like that, but who better to do it than our very own Xelloss? ^_^

Very special thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys always make my day! **Aisha C **(*giggles* Yeah, when I was writing the dinner, the drinks just naturally popped up for some reason, so I figured everyone could get a chuckle out of that. Xelly-boy's not giving Zel an easy time, but then again, Zel's not Cyrano, and Amelia's not Roxanne. Glad you're enjoying!), **Otaku M-chan** (Yup, sneaky, tricksy Xelloss. He's up to something, but will Amelia fall for it? Hmm… ^_^), **Kaeru Shisho** (Weird ff.net. Oh well. Well, just a little bit of Zel/Xel interaction, though it wasn't very friendly. I think they'd get along better if there wasn't a girl involved. I think I need to write a Xelloss chapter soon… *winks*), **kitkat** (Hey, good to hear from you again! *blushes* You guys are one of the biggest reasons I write! I'm glad you're always checking for updates. I used to update every Tuesday, but I get so excited to get a new chapter out that I usually jump the gun and update Monday night. ^_^), **Valk** (Thank you! I'm glad you think I'm doing a good job. It was tough to have Amelia swearing, but aside from the fact that this piece of OOC-ness fits in with my story, it was something I drew from Try when they visited the funny-looking mountain. "Sh.." just seemed to come to her so easily, almost like she was used to it… Hmm… ~_^), **blue lady** (Hey, long time no see! I'm glad you're still with me and that you're enjoying! There will be more Z/A/X interactions to come!), **eedoe** (Oh, and you thought last chapter was a bad day. I'm glad you liked the Ken back-story and the lost realm of Wingardium. Hey, I've got to put a little bit of HP in my story! ~_^ And what's a good romance without a bit of a triangle, huh? *hugs*), **Treefairy **(Oh, there are just some characters you hate to love and those you love to hate. Xelloss is just one of those characters for me, but even with all those evil things he does in the anime, Amelia still considers him a 'friend' who's just in need of a little reformation. It will be fun 'reforming' him! ^_^)

Hope everyone has a safe New Year! Hello 2004!!!

Click the button and review!


	16. When All Else Fails

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 16**

**_When All Else Fails_**

****

The empty house felt cold and dark, although it was already seven o'clock in the morning. Her Daddy came home right after she did, and he left again before Amelia awoke at six. Miss Beth stayed with Jordan in the hospital and probably would remain there until he got better.

Amelia shivered as she sipped her orange juice while she ate her breakfast: buttered bread with jam, a scrambled egg, and juice were all she could stomach today. She hated being alone like this, especially when something bad had happened. Her father had left a note saying that Jordan's condition had not changed, but the doctors seemed more optimistic after a couple more hours. He had still not regained consciousness, but he was starting to subconsciously react to external stimulation. There was at least _that_ on the bright side.

Checking her watch, she quickly finished her meal and washed her dishes, setting them in the rack to dry. Then she turned off the radio in the kitchen and went throughout the house flipping off the lights. She pulled out her backpack and dumped the contents of her purse into it, along with several magazines and a couple of bottles of water, then zipped it up. She pulled on her leather jacket, then grabbing her helmet on the way out, she locked the door behind her and ran out to the sidewalk to wait for her ride.

A motorcycle came tearing up the quiet street, and Amelia couldn't help but grin at the rider's cocky behavior. He didn't really care whether or not he disturbed anyone, be it seven in the morning or seven at night. He pulled up right in front of her and revved his engine once before flipping up his visor. Val gave her a cheeky grin.

"You're on time, for once," Amelia yelled, slinging her backpack over her shoulders. She tugged on her own helmet, tucking back loose strands of hair, then jumped on the back of his bike, settling herself squarely behind him. She placed her arms tightly around his middle, well prepared when the bike surged forward.

Val tore down the well-known streets on his way down the hill, both riders leaning dangerously close to the ground to take the tighter turns. She loved the exhilarating feel of the world passing by unbelievably fast, of flying along the roads mere inches from the pavement. Oh, she knew of the dangers of motorcycles, but she also knew the dangers of high places, and those she loved the most.

They slowed upon finally reaching a light, and Val half-turned to look at her. She gave him a small smile and a thumbs-up, and he nodded his head. They continued at a more reasonable pace all the way to the bookstore and her poor car left all alone in the parking lot.

"Wow," Val muttered after he pulled off his helmet. He turned off his bike and waited while Amelia hopped off the back and removed her own helmet before throwing his leg over the seat and walking up to her car. "That's a big-ass puddle under there."

Her face fell. "It wasn't that big last night. Dammit."

Val looked sharply at her. "You okay? Not used to hearing you cussing anymore." She merely shot him a dark look. He smirked at her before pulling out his cel phone to call a tow service. "It's a guy I know. He recycles as many things as he can, and he's really good at selling refurbed items. Not those cheesy remakes. He cleans them up and takes them apart to make sure everything is in there correctly… Oh, hello. Is Todd there? It's Val. Yeah, thanks."

As her friend finished his call, she gazed longingly at her beloved car. She was saddened at the thought that she wouldn't be able to drive it, but she brightened when she thought of riding her bike around again. If Val could look at it before he left, she could make sure that gas was all it needed to be happy again!

"Make sure it's a flat-bed truck that comes," Val directed into his phone. "It's a '65 Mustang that my friend is fixing up. Yeah, _she_ is very concerned for her baby, so if you could get Gravos or… what's that guy's name? The short hairy red-head dude… yeah, Jillas. They know her car already. Okay. Thanks, Todd. Later."

He hung up the phone and shrugged. Not much they could do but sit and wait for the truck to show up. Val leaned on his bike while Amelia dug into her backpack for a couple of bottles of water. She tossed one to him before opening the other for herself.

"You know, there's really no reason for this water to be as expensive as it is." He took a swig, swirled it experimentally in his mouth, then swallowed. "It tastes just like the filtered water at home. You know. Filia's dad has that water filter that takes out all the crap that's in our _supposedly_ clean city water. That's all these companies do. Filter the water, put it in plastic bottles that most people don't know how to recycle, slap a label on it, and sell it for at least ten times what it costs to make it."

Amelia smirked. She was used to these little tirades that Val spouted when he got particularly indignant over something _not_ environmentally friendly. It was such a strange thought that someone who was once so violent and rebellious would turn out to be a big environmentalist. After his time at Anderson with her, he made it his mission to cleanse the world. A noble task, and after four years, he was able to get recycling cans set up next to the majority of public trash cans, as well as several of the larger businesses around the city. He worked closely with the waste management services to ensure that the recyclables that were picked up were sent to the proper facilities, and that the fees for the program were incorporated into the regular refuse pick-up fees. He also helped schedule "Clean the City" workshops throughout the year to clean up the graffiti and paint older buildings (with water-based paints, of course) to help beautify the city. The mayor and prominent businesspeople presented him several awards for his many efforts. 

And all this before he turned nineteen.

Amelia didn't say anything, but instead, just listened to him ranting until he believed he made his point.

"But you finished it, right?" she asked, holding her bag open for the empty bottle. He tapped her lightly on the head with it before tossing it into her backpack.

"At least you're recycling. You pay too much for it, though."

"I know. But if you can't change the things you can't accept…"

"… then you can accept the things you can't change."

"… and you can have the wisdom to know the difference."

They looked at each other for a few moments before Val threw his arm over her shoulder, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

"He'll get better, Princess," he mumbled.

She nodded. "I know he'll get better soon. I just feel… I just feel guilty for not being there. I'm here, worrying about my car, and Jordan's…"

"Hey, would he be happy knowing you left your car alone in a parking lot when it needed a lot of help? No! He doesn't want all your hard work to get screwed. So let's get this over to Todd's place, get your bike up and running, and then you can go to see him this afternoon. Your dad's there, right? He'll call you if anything changes."

She nodded, knowing he was right, but it did not completely alleviate the guilt she felt over not being there for her "little brother." Their talk turned to cars and bikes, and Amelia felt her spirits lifting at the distraction. Before long, the tow truck came, and she sat back while Val oversaw the lifting of her car onto the truck bed. As her car was slowly cranked up the ramp, she went to stand next to him.

"How much do you think this is going to set me back?" she yelled over the whining of the winch. 

He shrugged. "Depends on what's wrong. If it's the radiator, it'll be a LOT. Hopefully, it's just a busted hose or something…" Somehow, he didn't sound too convinced himself.

The tow truck bed finally settled into place and the driver, a huge bald man with a patch over one eye, came over.

"Val, I'll take it over to the shop right now, but it'll be a while before Jillas gets there, _if_ he gets there. I think there might have been a deep scratch in the radiator when I looked at it a couple of months ago, but I don't think that would have done this. I don't know."

"That's okay, Gravos. Just have him look it over and we'll call in to check on it a little later. Thanks."

With a nod, the large man went back to his truck. Amelia watched sadly as her car was slowly driven away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Val asked Amelia later when they went back to her house to look at her bike. He was crouched next to it, closely inspecting the engine. Amelia was perched on a stool on the other side of the motorcycle.

"Sure!"

They had stopped at a gas station to fill a gas can so they could get her bike started. After filling it, Val was going to run a quick check on everything to make sure it would be okay.

He didn't look up as he muttered, "Did Xelloss do anything to you at Prom?"

That came from nowhere! To say Amelia was angry was an understatement. She was absolutely livid.

"What is it with everyone wondering if Mister Xelloss 'did' anything to me? Miss Lina. You. Who else? Miss Filia? And why are you going to Mister Zelgadiss to ask stuff about me anyway? Where were you when I was going out with Chad, huh? Did you ask everyone about him, too? No! Because if you did, it wouldn't have been Jordan who picked me up when that jerk decided to try and 'do' something to me!"

Suddenly, she was bawling, and all Val knew, while he was trying to process what just happened, was that it was all his fault. He moved over to her and whispered "I'm sorry" before patting her awkwardly on the back, murmuring his apologies to her. Before long, she stopped crying and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"I'm sorry, Mister Val. I just…"

"_I'm_ the one who should be sorry, Princess. I just can't help being a little overprotective of you girls."

"You're not like this with Miss Lina or Miss Filia."

"Yeah, I am. You just don't see it as often… Lina makes sure guys she doesn't tolerate stay a good distance from her. Filia's got a temper, too, but she's so into her work right now that she doesn't give any guy a serious thought. But you…" He pulled away from her and leaned back on her bike. "You're too nice a person, Amelia. Xelloss is a messed up guy. He… he hurt Filia. Not physically," he quickly added as he saw the sparks of righteous anger in her eyes, "It's not my place to say, but they dated a while back. When they broke up, it wasn't a pretty sight. That's why Filia hates him so much. I just don't want him to hurt you like he did to her."

Amelia listened, and suddenly felt a sadness for her friends creep up on her. No wonder Filia didn't like even discussing Xelloss. But there had to be something to their break-up… Xelloss couldn't be _all_ that bad since both Lina and Zelgadiss considered him a friend. Maybe she'd have to do a little more looking into things on her own.

_Ring.._

She picked up her cel phone immediately.

"Hello? Daddy? Is Jordan okay? What's… Oh. Okay. Today? When? Okay. Thanks, Daddy. I love you, too. Bye."

"Is everything okay?"

She smiled, just a little, then said brightly, "Jordan was moved to Saillune Medical Center just this morning. He's stopped bleeding and is stable now, but hasn't regained consciousness. They say that the Medical Center is a better facility to monitor his progress."

"Was it safe to transport him so soon?"

"I guess so. They airlifted him there. Daddy said they're coming home later on this evening so Miss Beth can pack up a lot of her things. She's going to be staying with her sister who lives downtown. I'll get to go see Jordan when they're ready to go back."

Val nodded and went back to work on her bike, only half-heartedly checking the fluids. Amelia wandered outside the garage, holding her cel phone to her chest. Only two weeks ago, she and Jordan were having fun at the pier. He also got her to admit some things to herself; like how it was okay to cry if she was sad or to yell if she was angry or enjoy herself more…

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the tears falling on her hands. Allowing herself to be a little selfish, she let her tears fall, wishing for someone who could comfort her. Someone she could depend on in such a worry-filled time. A childish wish…

_Ring._

Amelia jumped at the sound, and almost yelled her answer.

"Hello?"

"_Amelia?_"

"Yes. Who's this?"

"_It's Zelgadiss. I hope you don't mind me calling you on your cel. Lina gave me the number a while ago._"

"Oh, that's alright. What did you need, Mister Zelgadiss?"

"_I just wanted to see how Jordan was doing. And I wanted to make sure you were okay. I tried calling the house, but no one answered, so I figured you were at the hospital._"

"Oh. I'm at home right now, but we're out in the garage. Umm… I guess Jordan's doing better. They brought him to Saillune Medical Center. Daddy said it's to monitor his progress."

"_I'm glad to hear he's doing better. How are _you_?_"

She sighed, wiping at the tear tracks on her face. She sat down on one of the patio chairs and watched Val finishing up on her bike. He had started it and was revving the engine, nodding to himself. He would probably be leaving soon since he had a rally in a few of hours to save a section of forest that was being threatened by loggers. Then she would be alone again. 

Barely containing the shudder in her voice, she mumbled, "Well enough, I suppose."

Zelgadiss was quiet a moment before asking, "_It doesn't sound like it._"

Despite herself, she smiled a little.

"I just don't like being alone, that's all."

"_I thought you said your father was there._"

"No. He's still at the hospital with Miss Beth. I'm here with Mister Val, but he's leaving in a few minutes. I'll be okay, though. I'm going to the Medical Center later on, so it shouldn't be that bad."

"_Is there anyone else who can stay with you in the meantime?_"

She laughed. "No, Mister Zelgadiss. Miss Lina's out of town, and everyone else is working. I'm a big girl, you know."

"_Well…_" He coughed, sounding a little embarrassed. "_Er… I hate to do this, but I've been… requested by you-know-who to ask you if you would like to go to dinner at El Torito on the pier. Tonight. Maybe a movie afterwards._" He did not sound too happy to be asking. "_I didn't know if you'd be up to it, but I had to ask._"

"I… I don't think tonight is a good idea. I wouldn't feel right."

"_I'm sorry about that. I tried to tell Xelloss about what happened, but he wanted me to ask anyway._" She could almost see him scratching the back of his head self-consciously. 

"I appreciate the thought, though, Mister Zelgadiss. I'll call him myself to let him know." She had been about to thank him for calling and hang up, but found herself wanting to find out if he'd continue the conversation. She always enjoyed their talks, and found a degree of comfort in his deep soothing voice.

"_Thanks. If it's any consolation, I'm at El Tarasco right now. I can order something and bring it over if you haven't had lunch yet. Then I can keep you company until it's time for you to leave._"

"You're too sweet, but…"

"_Yeah, hi. I'd like to order a… what do you want Amelia?_"

Her stomach got the better of her, and she found herself ordering a #12 and a #2 before she could say no.

"Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss. I really appreciate it. See you soon."

After hanging up, she went inside to find Xelloss' phone number to call him. She got his voice mail, and she left a polite message declining his date. Val wandered over to the kitchen when he saw that she was off the phone.

"Was that your _friend _Zelgadiss?"

"No, it was my _lover_ Zelgadiss," she shot back playfully. Bingo. His face turned a very pretty shade of red, and she shook with laughter.

"Amelia!" he yelled, nudging her off her chair.

"Oh, Mister Val," she laughed, catching herself before she could fall. "You know that I'm old enough to have my own friends outside the realm of your presence," she said haughtily. More seriously, she added, "And he _is_ a _friend_. I really think he might have had a crush on my sister and maybe still might." 

"You thinking about hooking them up?"

"Maybe. I haven't gotten the chance to ask him about her." She tapped her finger on her lips thoughtfully. "I don't know, though. His interests are almost a complete opposite of Gracia's."

"Opposites attract, you know."

Filia and Xelloss crossed her mind at the thought, but for some reason, her sister and Zelgadiss didn't quite fit the description. A new idea filed itself away in her mind for further review at a later time: maybe she could find out which one turned out to prove the theory true. Filia and Xelloss or Gracia and Zelgadiss.

With a shrug, Val walked back out to the garage. "I've got to get going, Amelia. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Oh, you're leaving now? But Mister Zelgadiss said that he was coming over, and I ordered a #2 for you from El Tarasco! You can't leave without eating, right?"

"I'm sorry, Amelia. I really have to leave now. I should have left thirty minutes ago, but I didn't want to leave you stranded. Your bike is up and running, so you don't even have to stay here if you don't want to."

She was disappointed, but not as much as if Zelgadiss weren't coming over.

"I'll be fine, Mister Val, but make sure you eat something before you go."

"I'll get something, don't worry…" He pulled on his helmet, and for a moment, Amelia was fascinated how he fit all his hair into the tight helmet. "Since Jillas wasn't there, we'll check on your car on Monday, alright?" She nodded, and he flipped down his visor. With a wave, he was off.

Amelia closed up the garage and went inside. With a thoughtful expression, she went upstairs and entered her sister's room. Scanning her bookshelf, she found what she was looking for: Gracia's yearbook. She pulled it off the shelf and wandered into her room to look at it. Flipping the pages, slowly scanning the signatures and messages, she soon found what she was looking for, written in blocky, but neat handwriting.

'Naga,

I hope you have a great summer and beyond. I know that you can do whatever you put your mind to, so don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Be good, and keep in touch.

Your friend,

Zelgadiss'

Hmm… Friendly, that's for sure, but romantic? She just didn't see it. Turning to his senior portrait, she was a little taken aback at what she saw. Zelgadiss was very handsome, still on the thin side, but quite a cutie. His face was smooth and untouched. Somehow, though, for Amelia, it wasn't quite the Zelgadiss that she knew, and she liked him just the way he was. She was not a morbid person, but had he not had his accident, she probably never would have met him. He would have been an ace in the _Atlas City_ police department, not the Saillune PD.

She looked in the index and found his name, listed on several pages. Carefully, she turned to each one listed. Member of the track team, chess club, debate team, science club, and martial arts team. All his pictures showed a fairly popular teen who _appeared _to be having fun. He even got first place in an independent art contest with a classic bronze sculpture of a woman who looked strangely like her sister. Checking her sister's pages: member of the swim team, head cheerleader, yearbook committee, fashion club, and the school newspaper. Naga seemed to be _much_ more outgoing than Zelgadiss, and definitely more popular. Taking another look at his senior portrait, she was glad that she was friends with such a nice guy.

With a small smile, she closed the yearbook and had just shut her door when the doorbell rang. She almost ran down the stairs, but remembered what happened the last time, and slowed to walk down the steps. Smelling the food already, she answered the door with a smile.

"Hi, Mister Zelgadiss. Do you mind if we eat outside? It's a nice day out."

"Hi, Amelia. Sure, wherever you want." He stepped into the house and followed her to the patio where he set the food onto the table. While he pulled out the food, Amelia went back inside to get them drinks.

"Was that Val I saw going down the street?" he asked when she set a glass of iced tea in front of him.

"Yes. Since my car's in the shop, he was here fixing my motorcycle, but he had to go to a rally. I guess we can split the #2 since he's gone. How much was everything?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Mister Zelgadiss! This is the fourth time you've bought me something to eat. You don't have to…"

He pushed her food towards her, and in a firm but gentle voice told her simply, "Just eat, Amelia."

With a sulky sigh, she took the cover off her carnitas, and then she sighed happily at the sight of her food. Her mouth began to water, and she dug in. Slowly, her mood began to lighten until she could see the recent events with a more positive mind. Hunger sated after eating a full plate of carnitas and half a plate of enchiladas, she sat back and sipped her lemonade, sighing happily. When all else fails, there's nothing quite like eating good food accompanied by a good friend to make a person feel better.

"Thank you again, Mister Zelgadiss. For the food, and for keeping me company. I… I just don't enjoy being alone when things like this happen. I'd go nuts." She smiled sheepishly.

"That's okay. Were you able to get in touch with Xelloss?"

"No. I got his voicemail… Oh well. I wasn't as interested as I thought, but I might still go out with him…" She saw Zelgadiss' brows dip down, and she added, "…because I kind of want to find out what happened between him and Miss Filia. Apparently, they dated a while back, but something happened and they broke up badly. Who knows? Maybe they're so busy being angry with each other that they don't realize that they still like each other."

Zel huffed. "That would be a new one. Xelloss actually _caring_ about someone."

"I thought you were his friend."

"I guess I am, but I don't like the way he takes advantage of people and situations. Maybe if he stopped doing that, he'd have more friends. I don't think I've seen him go out with anyone casually, and I wouldn't call our 'friendship' a healthy one. When he's a bastard, I could care less if I never see him again; when he's actually nice, it's fun hanging out with him." He shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if he said or did something that offended your friend. He's probably not sorry about it either."

Amelia pouted. Well, there goes that theory. Oh well, maybe she could hear the story straight from the horse's mouth. Either one.

"I don't want him using you to ask me out for him anymore," she said suddenly, surprising herself. "If he's not man enough to ask me himself, then he's not someone I care to get to know better." She was being a little unfair, but it really was unjust of him to use their friend like this. "I mean, it's obvious you don't like doing it, but…"

"Do it for the right reasons, Amelia," he cut in. "I'm flattered that you're concerned about me, but it's okay to be upset on your own account, too."

"You're right. I've guess I've got to stick up for myself more."

"You know what?" Zelgadiss said with a grin, startling her out of her thoughts. He was looking around the patio. Everything was cleaned up and put away, just like on the day he came to return her necklace. "If you're willing to learn, I can teach you a new way to stick up for yourself." She leaned forward, very interested. "How does Muay Tuay kickboxing sound to you?"

Amelia smiled widely for the first time that day, and they both hurried to get set up to train, losing themselves for a couple of hours to the lure of martial arts.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

_Ring. Ring._

"It's me. Yes. It's done. The housekeeper and her son are out of the picture. I'll see what can be done to keep them out of the way. No. Our next target has been decided. I'll proceed with the plan. I don't _have_ a timeframe unless you want the authorities alerted to our presence. Yes. Well, I'll just have to deal with him too, then. Understood."

_Click._

The figure walked away from the phone booth in front of the Medical Center, tossing in the trash a crumpled picture of a beautiful raven-haired young woman with blue eyes…

***************************

A/N: Ta da! And the conflict presents itself…

Just to let everyone know, I've been suffering from a really bad case of writer's block on this fic. I've been stuck for about a month on chapter eighteen, so it's a good thing I've had these last few chapters stocked up. -_-;; I'm starting to pull out my hair since my muse Pocket (a stubborn, mischievous little dragon) seems to be thinking about the Slayers FF contest (which is a good thing) as well as my upcoming family vacation to Hawaii (which is also a good thing) instead of this story… *hits head on desk* For that reason, my updates may be sporadic for a bit. But never fear! I'm not giving up on this story: there's still too much to tell!

Special thanks to everyone who reads and even more to those who review! Everyone's reaction to poor Jordan is really touching. You guys are too sweet. *hugs* 

**Otaku M-Chan** (Yeah, I'd say Amelia's got her priorities better in line than Xelloss. I also think Zel's got good timing, too… ~_^), **Cookie** (Whee! I know everyone out there probably picked up on those little breadcrumbs I dropped, but I'm glad that someone finally voiced it. Makes me feel better… Anyhoo, yeah, stay tuned to find out. One thing I will say is that her past will be quite OOC as one would guess, but there's a reason for that as well. ^_^), **Kaeru Shisho **(Ah, the rude customer… What he said was actually taken directly from what a customer had said about me when I had worked in a bookstore. Unfortunately, I wasn't around to zing him back… So I get my revenge in fanfiction! Bwahahahahahaha! *looks around sheepishly* Umm, I guess the Xel/Ame date's postponed, but we'll see what happens.), **Aisha C **(Xel likes playing at being a puppet master, but he can't control everything. I still haven't decided exactly what kind of snake he'll be, but I'm leaning more towards… "red next to black" if you know that saying. ~_^), and **Scatter** (New reviewer! Hey, thanks so much! I try to stay in character as much as I can, but sometimes a little bit of OOC is necessary in an AU fic – it _is_ tough, too, to resolve both aspects of it. I'm glad you think my OC's seem real, too. I'll try to keep everyone interested! ^_^)

Click the button and Review!


	17. A Tangled Web

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 17**

**_A Tangled Web_**

****

Amelia and Zelgadiss had accompanied Phil and Beth back to the hospital, and it helped to set the young woman's mind at ease to see Jordan again. His face was still swollen where it had hit the steering wheel, and he was still connected to tubes and wires, his chest rising and falling with each pump of the respirator. She held his hand, squeezing it tightly as she spoke to him.

"Jordan. It's me, Amelia," she said loudly. To her great delight, though she knew it was merely a subconscious reaction, he squeezed her hand back lightly. Tears began to flow down her cheeks again, and she kissed his forehead. "You'd better get well soon. My birthday's coming up, and you know I won't let you miss it." His finger moved, and she smiled. "Just get better."

Zelgadiss watched his friend and the boy, and felt déjà vu tinged with jealousy. It was not that long ago that he was in a hospital fighting for his life, but _he_ did not have a friend like Amelia sitting at his bedside, holding his hand and murmuring encouraging words to him. Even his grandfather Rezo, who had practically raised him, did not spend much time at the hospital because of his busy schedule with the police department. Zelgadiss backed slowly out of the room and went back out to the waiting area. His eyes unfocused as he remembered the painful and lonely days in that hospital…

"Thank you for coming with me, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia said, appearing next to him. How did she sit down without him noticing? How long had she been sitting there? "And for waiting with me today. I really appreciate it."

"It was no problem, Amelia. I understand not wanting to be alone." He smiled a little, then stood, patting her shoulder. "I'd better get going. Give Phil and Beth my best."

She nodded, and impulsively stood and hugged him. A little surprised, he patted her back gently, then gave her a little half-hug in return. A smile reappeared on her face and he waved back as he walked away.

"Wow. I didn't know you two were _that_ close, Miss Amelia."

Filia, garbed in her pink and white scrubs, hair swept in a long blonde plait down her back, stepped forward with a smirk, and Amelia couldn't help but blush.

"It's not like that, really, Miss Filia," she tried to protest.

"Sure..." she said, hushing her. Something about their relationship tickled the back of her mind, but it was gone before she had a chance to process the thought. "Hey. How is Jordan doing? I just found out that they transferred him here this morning."

"I think he's doing okay. The doctors and nurses are telling us that if his MRI comes back negative then they will downgrade him from Critical Care to Intensive Care tomorrow. They also said that they have to continue to run tests and do scans, and they talk about blood count and brain waves, but I don't quite understand what they're talking about. I'm at a loss for what's good and what's not."

Filia nodded and though she was a NP, she tried to help out where she could. She acted as the go-between for the family and the nurses, trying to get more information and translating it into layman's terms, and trying to keep the family calm so the doctors and nurses could do their jobs.

By the end of the night, it was determined that Jordan had a concussion, but no apparent brain or spinal cord damage. Since he had still not regained consciousness, they would have to continue to monitor his progress. He also had an injured spleen and liver that had caused internal bleeding, but had now stopped, so they would keep an eye on that as well. His lungs were fine, but he was having difficulty breathing on his own, so for the time being, they had him hooked up to a respirator. The least of his problems was a broken leg.

Filia explained it all to them, and they all hugged her in thanks. It wasn't good news, but it was better than the previous day. 

"I'm here at the hospital every day except Sundays and Wednesdays, so if you need anything, just let me know, okay?" She smiled warmly at them before she left to go home for the day. Her shift had actually ended two hours ago, and she had stayed to help them out.

Amelia went home not long after, and she was able to sleep that night a little easier.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After several tense days, full of uncertainty for her friend's condition, Amelia's life slowly began its upswing. For starters, Lina returned from her trip to put some level of sanity (or _insanity_, depending on how one looked at it) back into her life. The redhead kept the younger girl company nearly every day, doing what they did best: talking and eating, and when they could, they visited with Jordan.

More good news arrived in the form of a letter from Gracia. Of course, she had her own way of saying things that tended to grate on some people's nerves.

'Dear Tesla,

How are you doing sis? I heard your graduation was better than mine, though I find that hard to believe. Lina told me about you guys getting dumped into the pool. Sorry I missed that! I'm glad you weren't drunk like last time. Daddy doesn't need any more trouble. He came out to visit me the day after, but you probably already knew that. He needs a vacation.

Hey, can you make sure Beth dusts and airs out my room? Bradley was a dear and listened to me for once. He cleared my schedule so I can actually come home! I'll be there in three weeks for your birthday, and I don't want there to be lint and dust all over my clothes. (By the way, did you like your gift? Did everything fit? When I get there, you have to model everything for me!)

Oh, yeah. What do you want for your birthday? If you don't let me know, I guess I'll pick something up at the airport before I leave here. They've got this fantastic place –duty free, too! - that sells all sort of cool things.

Tell Lina if you see her that I'll call her about plans for your birthday. And no guessing, runt. It's going to be a helluva surprise! See you soon!

Kisses,

Naga'

Lina shook her head when her best friend told her what her old friend had said. They were sitting back at Tank's buffet on their lunch break.

"I told her to keep it a secret. Figures she'll drop that in a letter to you."

"You and my sister are planning my party, Miss Lina?"

"Of course, Amelia. You don't think that after the party you and Phil threw for me that I'd let you off so easy. My parents wanted to do something for you, too, but the way they are, they'd probably just bring you to Chuck E. Cheese's and think that was okay. I told them I'd take care of it."

Lina's family lived in a simple three-bedroom house, and her parents were constantly busy with their respective jobs. Her father was a financial analyst and her mother was a mortgage specialist. A nice, normal, ordinary family… Except for Luna, that is.  To say that the older Inverse daughter was strange would be putting it lightly. She looked nothing like Lina: she was a tall, buxom young woman with short straight dark hair and bangs that covered her eyes. Nothing like the petite willowy figure and wild long wavy red hair that was all Lina. 

Amelia regarded her friend and with everything that had occurred recently, she had suddenly wrapped herself around Lina's neck and was bawling her eyes out. Scratching her cheek and patting her on the back, Lina mumbled, "It's nothing, really."

"Oh, Miss Lina, that's… that's so s… sweet of you! You're the be… best friend anyone could ever ask for!"

"Just promise me that you'll cheer up, then," she said after prying her off. Amelia seemed to calm down a little. "We've got some time, so just relax and remember: _Carpe Diem_!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Still upset over her car (Jillas did not go into detail about it, but it was something to do with the radiator), Amelia tried to focus on the positive: being able to ride her motorcycle again. Her father had not been happy about it, in fact, had never been happy about his baby girl riding the thing, but since there was no other alternative, he was forced to let her use it. Amelia had almost forgotten the sheer joy of riding her motorcycle around town and being able to zip through traffic.

Work was better, as well. Jack apologized again for having to write her up, and because of her situation with Jordan, he changed her schedule so she could go to the hospital before visiting hours ended. Her fellow employees gave her pats on the back for her spunkiness to stand up to such an ass. All the parents and children made her feel as good as new when she walked into the Children's section to hugs from the kids and a round of applause from the parents. Work was, once again, worth it.

Jordan was downgraded to ICU, and although he was still on the breathing machine and had not regained consciousness, the doctors kept saying that he was getting better and better every day. His blood count was up, his liver and spleen were healing and did not require surgery, his leg was re-set with no complications, and they were discussing the possibility of removing him from the respirator.

"So they'll continue to test him to find out if he can stand breathing on his own. If he cannot, then he'll have to stay on just a little longer. They really would like him to come out of his coma first, but it's important that we don't keep him on it if he can actually breathe on his own," Filia reported to Amelia and Zelgadiss as she sat facing the two, explaining Jordan's condition. They were sitting at the picnic tables out back behind the cafeteria. 

A week had gone by since the accident, and things were looking up for the boy. Zelgadiss met Amelia at her work and offered to drive her to the medical center so they could visit Jordan together. Amelia was impressed that Zelgadiss had been so nice to visit a kid he hardly knew existed before he met her, and they went across town to the hospital together. There, they bumped into Filia who was just ending her shift, and after a nice long visit with Jordan and Beth (Phil was out of town for the weekend again on business) the three went down to get something to eat at the cafeteria.

Filia drank the last of her soda and tossed their trash into the garbage can and their recyclables into the recycling container next to it. She returned to her seat and looked from Amelia to Zelgadiss and back.

"What?" the girl asked, bewilderment creasing her brow. She wiped at her face and looked at her blouse. "Is there food somewhere on me?" 

Filia laughed, absently playing with the end of her long braid. Tugging the rubber band off, she shook her head and let her long blonde hair tumble free to flow down her back.

"No, Miss Amelia. I'm sorry. It's just that… oh, nothing. You'll understand one day."

The two glanced at each other, and with a shrug, decided that Filia was weird. Filia, on the other hand, was really trying to decide what she thought about the two of them. At the party, it seemed that the young man was quiet and well-mannered, content to keep to himself and his little corner. Lina was able to draw him out, and for a moment she wondered if _he_ was the romantic interest of her redheaded friend, but Lina ditched the poor guy the second Gourry asked her to dance.

Then there was Amelia, sliding in to dance with him, and the next thing Filia knew, the quiet guy was very nearly dirty dancing with her friend, and the short girl didn't seem to mind. That, along with the hug the other night, got Filia to thinking just how cute they were "together" despite what Val insisted the two of them thought of each other. With a sigh of relief, she knew Amelia was safe from Xelloss.

"So," the blonde continued, trying to ignore a headache that had somehow unexpectedly sprung to life, "will you two be coming back tomorrow?"

"No, we're umm…" Zelgadiss began, and then realized that what he was going to say sounded so…

"We're going to the Classic Auto Show tomorrow," Amelia finished for him, unaware that she had said anything to be misconstrued. "That was Mister Zelgadiss' graduation gift for me. Isn't that cool?"

"Just you two, or are you going with anyone else?" she asked, absently rubbing her temple, and Zel immediately wished he had bought a couple more tickets, just in case.

"No, it's just us." 

Filia's eyes narrowed, obviously calculating something when Zelgadiss jumped in. "I actually bought the tickets for Amelia and Phil, but he's out of town this weekend. No one else could go, so she picked me." He sounded so lame.

"Oh, it's going to be so fun!"

Filia snorted, a little disappointed over the lack of anything romantic between the two. "If you say so, Miss Amelia. I've never understood why you like tinkering with cars, and old ones at that. You get all dirty, and you spend so much money on a car that's got a busted engine or something."

"It's not a busted engine, Miss Filia. Something's just wrong with the radiator. We'll get it fixed. Maybe we can find something at the show tomorrow?" she offered, turning to Zelgadiss who nodded in agreement, but suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

She followed his gaze and her heart dropped a little. There, standing not ten feet away from them was the last person any of the three expected to see there. She forced a smile on her face as he approached them. Filia still hadn't noticed someone was behind her.

"Hello, there," he said, his eyes still smiling. "And hello to you, too, Miss Filia."

A shudder seemed to pass through her, and her face became a mask of pure anger. She turned abruptly in her seat and stood, keeping the picnic bench between her and Xelloss.

"I wondered why I suddenly got a headache! What do you want, you stinking pile of garbage…"

He tutted at her, and waved a finger in front of her face. "Now, that's no way to act towards someone who just paid you a pleasantry, Filia. I see you've been hanging out with Val too much."

"Why, you…" Her hand shot out and latched onto his fingers, bending them back sharply and pulling down. Xelloss crumpled to the side, following the painful hold on his fingers. "What. Do. You. Want. Xelloss?"

His strange violet eyes opened, and as quickly as Zelgadiss could stand up to help her, Xelloss had Filia's hand in an equally painful hold and was sitting her back down onto the bench. He released her when he was satisfied that he was out of harm's reach and resumed his conversation as if nothing happened. Amelia only stared at what happened with wide eyes.

"As I was trying to say before I was so _rudely_ interrupted, how is your friend, Amelia?"

Zelgadiss, still standing, looked down at her when she did not immediately answer. Now, it seemed, she was shaking as badly as Filia was. She lifted her head, and he cringed. Her words were clipped and short.

"Jordan is as well as he can be under the circumstances, but as for Miss Filia…" She stood up and pointed a finger at Xelloss. Yup. She was filled with righteous anger. "That was uncalled for! You apologize to Miss Filia now, Xelloss!"

The sound of his name set the purple-haired man to actually blink and look at her.

"But if you remember, _Miss_ Amelia, she was the one who attacked me first."

Amelia wavered, and Zelgadiss came to her aid.

"What do you want, Xelloss?" He was tired of being in the middle of everything all the time, but he just kept putting himself in this position. 

"I could ask the same of you, Zelgadiss." The two men looked sharply at each other, and it appeared an entire conversation passed between them.

"You're wrong, if that's what you're thinking," Zel said, lowering his voice and trying to sound vague. He stepped out from behind the table and farther away from Amelia.

"That's not what it appears like to me. I thought I asked you to do something for me. That was our agreement, remember?"

"I did, and it was refused. You got the message. What's your problem?"

"Mister Xelloss," Amelia interrupted, "don't blame your friend. It was _my_ decision."

His open eyes narrowed and shot back to Zelgadiss.

"So how convenient that she's spent so much time with you, and now she refused me, and is going out with you to some car show? Was that your whole plan, _Zelgadiss_?" he hissed. "Take the girl out to keep her away from me?"

Filia and Amelia both stood at this, and advanced on the two men.

"I _knew_ it! You filthy pile of…"

"That is _not_ what happened!"

"…trying to mess someone else, are you?"

"…have no right to blame him!"

Looking back, no one could really tell who threw the first punch. All the girls knew was that the two men were not merely throwing punches. Zelgadiss was in tight, planting strong knees and quick elbows anywhere he could: face, stomach, and ribs. But he knew enough to stay out of the other man's grasp. Unfortunately, in order to _hit_ someone, you had to come into contact with him. Xelloss abruptly turned the tables, locking Zel's arm and delivering several key strikes to the face, neck and chest. Filia panicked. Xelloss with the upper hand in any fight was dangerous for the other person. Before he could do anything else, Filia grabbed Xelloss' neck, lightly at first, then increasing pressure until he realized she was there. He froze immediately.

Amelia pulled Zelgadiss away from him and sat him down on the bench. He shook his head at her touch, and she pulled out a handkerchief from her purse and silently handed it to him before rounding on Xelloss, who was sitting, rather undignified with Filia's fingers digging into his neck, on the ground.

"_What_ is your problem? He did what you asked. I changed my mind about you on my own. If you wanted to date me, why did you ask your friend to ask me out instead of _you _asking me out? I'm not going to let this keep me from being nice to you, but if this has cost you Mister Zelgadiss as a friend, then I don't know that I care to have you as one either. If you keep pushing people away like this, you'll be left all alone with nothing but yourself to keep you company! Come on, Mister Zelgadiss. Let's go. Bye Miss Filia. I'll call you later."

Amelia helped Zel to his feet and walked the short distance back to his car. He refused to go inside the hospital, but allowed Amelia to actually drive his car while he lay back in the passenger seat.

Filia finally released her grasp on Xelloss the second they left, but it took a moment for the blood to start flowing to his brain again. Damn her and her Chin Na. He pulled himself up to the bench and she hit him on the back of the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" he whined, rubbing his neck and his ribs.

"What do you think it was for, you moron," she muttered, sitting down next to him. "Here, let me see," she said impatiently, lifting his shirt. He looked away so she wouldn't see the surprised look he knew was showing on his face.

She saw that his ribs were already bruising, but one spot actually broke the skin. Zelgadiss seemed to have gotten him good. Probing a little, she found that no bones were broken, and she fought the impulse to poke him on the bruise. She reached for her purse and pulled out a mini first aid kit, opening it on the table and rooting through it.

"Why Filia," he said, sucking in a breath as she pressed an alcohol pad to the open wound. "I didn't realize you still cared." She pulled the pad off and wiped something from a tube onto the cut.

"I don't, actually. However, I am a nurse, and my job is to save people and patch them up so I can send them home." Pulling out several little butterfly bandages, she carefully placed them along the cut before covering it with a gauze pad and taping it in place. When she lowered his shirt back into place, he thought she was going to boot him off the bench, but she merely packed up her things and threw away her trash. Surprising him even more was the fact that she came back and sat down on the other side of the table.

She stared at him for a few moments before asking, "Why do you do it?"

"What?"

"Are you that much of a coward that you can't ask a girl out without fear of what might happen if you do?" His mouth opened, but shut without making a sound. He didn't have an answer for once. "You know, sometimes I think…" She shook her beautiful golden head, clearly talking herself out of saying what was on her mind.

"You sometimes think, what?" he prodded, curious about what she really thought of their former "relationship" outside of all the anger and the resentment. It was a rare thing that they had, and if the circumstances had been different…

Filia closed her sharp blue eyes and sighed.

"I sometimes think that if you didn't play all those games: getting other people to ask me out for you, always being so selfish and so controlling. Lying…" she sighed again, opening her eyes. "I sometimes think that… it could have been…" A look of sorrow flitted across her lovely features, but it was gone in a flash when she stood. "Those aren't stitches, so try not to move very much if you can help it, otherwise, they'll open and you'll have a scar." She smacked him on the back of the head one more time for good measure, and he didn't stop her. "Don't do anything stupid, Xelloss. I've got to get going."

And with that, Xelloss was left alone at the picnic benches having lost Amelia (did he ever have her to begin with?), possibly losing Zelgadiss as a friend, getting bruised ribs, and confusing himself about Filia even more now. All within the span of fifteen minutes. How was it that he could have complete control over everything that happened in a courtroom, but the second he stepped out into reality, chaos followed him.

"_You just need to stop being a prick sometimes, Xelloss_," Lina's voice floated through his mind. "_A courtroom is a controlled environment. Life is… well, life. You just can't control that._"

Nodding his head, he slowly stood and made his way back to his car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"This is your house, Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked as she pulled up to the cute bungalow that was a couple of blocks away from the beach. His limousine was parked in the driveway.

She had been more than happy to drive his car for him, but was slightly intimidated over how much power it had. The clutch was nice and tight, as were the gears, and it only took a block before she was comfortable enough driving it in traffic.

"Yeah," he groaned, as Amelia opened the door for him and helped him out of the car, and up the steps of his porch.

"I still think you should have gone inside the hospital… okay, then maybe stay long enough for Miss Filia to take a look at you." She fumbled with his keys until she found the correct one and opened the front door.

"I'll be fine, Amelia. Xelloss didn't hit me that hard. He was taking it easy on me."

"Easy? You call that easy?"

He smirked, despite the pain, and lowered himself onto his couch. "If he really wanted to, he could have killed me right away."

"What? How…"

"He's an expert at Krav Maga. It's Israeli self-defense and fighting, a highly effective form of taking out an opponent quickly and efficiently. I'd have to say he's probably stronger and more dangerous than Lina, if you can believe that."

"Oh." She placed his keys and her purse on the little table in the entrance and went a little further into the house and easily found the kitchen. Beautiful rich wood cabinets and modern appliances. It seemed oddly to fit with the owner. Taking a hand towel and filling it with ice from the freezer, she brought it to Zelgadiss who accepted it wordlessly. He placed it gingerly on his cheek. Amelia wandered back into the kitchen.

"You've got a really nice house, Mister Zelgadiss." She glanced at the sink and noticed two spouts next to the sink. Trying one, she smiled as hot water came out. Hmm… mugs would be… up in one of the upper cabinets. "Where do you keep your tea?" she asked, hearing him limping behind her.

"You don't have to…"

"Nonsense. Sit down. Just tell me where it is, unless you don't mind me rooting through all your things." He pointed to a cupboard next to the pantry, and amazingly, she pulled out his favorite blend. "Would you like Earl Grey?" He nodded, and she found a peach-raspberry blend for herself. He went back to the couch and waited for a moment until she returned with two mugs.

She set them both on the coffee table to steep and turned her gaze to her friend who was trying to move his icepack from injury to injury.

"You're not doing yourself any good by doing that, you know."

"Yeah, well…"

"Here, let me." She took the bundle from his hand and redistributed the ice. Pushing his shoulder until he relaxed and lay back, she then gently placed the icepack over both his cheek and his neck. "Hold this, and I'll check your ribs." He did as he was asked, but tensed when he realized that she was trying to lift his shirt.

"What are you…" he sputtered, trying to stop her.

"Oh, _please_! I'm checking to make sure you didn't get injured worse than you think!"

"Amelia, I'm fine."

"You don't know that!"

"_Yes_. I do."

"Fine." She stuck out her lower lip and crossed her arms. 

It's understood that when a woman says "fine" it does _not_ mean that she's okay.

_Well. If he doesn't want my help, then there's nothing else for me to do, is there?_ She stood and picked up her purse and keys. 

"Fine," she repeated, and Zel knew he had done something wrong. "Bye, then." Before he could protest, she was already out the door. It was two seconds later that she returned and dumped his keys back on the table, trying not to look foolish. "Umm… Thanks for the tea." This time, before she could leave, he stopped her.

"Amelia, please don't go," he said wearily. She paused in the doorway, and he pushed himself to his feet. "I'm sorry. Come back in here and finish your tea."

She closed the door behind her and put her purse back on the table, but she remained standing.

"I'm sorry, Amelia. Please sit down."

Biting her lower lip, she sat on the other end of the couch and picked up her tea, not looking at him. She sipped quietly as he sat back down with a groan and replaced the icepack on his face. She snorted.

"That was stupid to get into a fight over something so silly. I'm not dating either of you, so what was the point of all that, huh?" At his silence, she muttered, "You shouldn't let anyone come between you and your friend, even if it's me."

"That's not what it was about, Amelia. Well, not exactly." He sighed. "At least on my side it was about him being a jerk and holding something over my head. Friends don't do things like that. If he's jealous that you and I get along, then that's his problem."

She shook her head. "I still think it was stupid. Well, since you're injured," she thought to mention, "maybe you should just stay home tomorrow, and I'll find someone else to go with to the show."

His eye peeked out from under the towel and regarded her. She was sitting on the edge of the couch, back straight, and the steaming mug cradled in her hands. Her entire being was radiating irritation, and he suddenly felt foolish for not only getting into a stupid fight, but also not letting her have her way. What would it hurt, anyway? If it would bring her some measure of relief, then…

"Okay, you can check my 'injuries', but I know that I'm fine, Amelia."

"Sure, and that's why you're hobbling around like an old man." She placed her mug back on the table. "Give me the icepack and take off your sweatshirt. You can leave your shirt on." He handed her the towel, now damp, and unzipped his sweatshirt, throwing it over the back of the couch. Amelia disappeared into the kitchen again, and returned shortly with another towel full of ice and a wet folded cloth.

She positioned the new icepack over his face then took his left hand to hold it in place. "I'm going to check your chest now," she warned, and at his nod, she lifted his shirt.

Amelia really didn't know what to expect, but was tactful enough to keep what was on her mind to herself. His chest and stomach had the odd burn scar here and there, but one or two appeared eerily like bullet wounds. For the most part though, he was very normal. It seemed that he wasn't merely thin; he was actually well toned and muscular. Trying to fight off the blush she knew was rising to her cheeks, she concentrated on her task.

After probing and prodding the bruises across his chest and figuring he hadn't broken anything, she took the cold damp folded cloth and placed it gently across the two uglier bruises. Zelgadiss hissed, and Amelia tugged his shirt back into place.

"I thought you said you were fine," she said with a smirk then returned to her place on the couch.

He peered at her from under the pack, but before he could say anything, she handed him his tea. He lowered the icepack onto the table and accepted the mug. "You saw that I'm fine, right?"

"You're fine. How's your face?"

"Fine." 

It's understood that when a man says, "fine" it means "I'm okay, leave me alone."

He cleared his throat, "So, did I pass your tests? Am I clear to go with you tomorrow?"

Her eyes narrowed as she thought about it.

"I really don't know if I should go with you anymore, Mister Zelgadiss. I feel awful that you got into a fight with your friend. I don't want to make it any worse."

A little disappointed over not being able to go to the show with her, Zel nodded his head and closed his eyes. Wait. Did that mean, "go to the show" or did it mean, "go anywhere." He frowned at _that_ notion. A sudden thought came to mind, and he tried to figure out if it would actually work. It would require some pretty big sacrifices on his part, but he wasn't sure if it was worth it. He opened his eyes and saw that Amelia had gotten up and was looking at the window panels on his French doors in fascination. A smile appeared on her face, and he found himself sitting forward and reaching for the phone.

"Hi. It's me." He glanced up and saw that Amelia was now regarding him with interest. He looked down at his tea. "Yeah, but I think we need to work some things out. Well, how many people do you know can actually stand sitting in the same room with you for any length of time? Look, we can all still be friends, right?" He inwardly winced at the begging he was doing, and although he had always been ready to drop any of his friends at the drop of a hat, he found Amelia's voice chirping in his mind: "_… people should have a good support group around them, just so that they stay sane…_"

"I didn't _betray_ you. Are you even listening to what you're saying? Think about it. Just stop and think for a second. Geez, I sound like I'm talking with a jilted girlfriend. Because that's what you sound like!" He lowered his voice and looked up at Amelia. She was pretending to be engrossed in the tiny architectural model of the Getty Museum that was on its own table in the dining room.

"Well, listen to me. I'm tired of you holding my case in front of me so I'll do you favors. Did you ever stop to think that people would do things just because they're friends? Well, there you go. Now she's said that she's not dating either of us, so what was the point of fighting? We're just _friends_, and she'd be yours too if you stopped acting like a prick." A smirk found its way to Amelia's lips before she composed herself again. Zelgadiss couldn't help but smile.

"You're going to have to ask her yourself. I'm not getting in the middle of any more of your relationships. Okay. By the way, thanks for not killing me. Yeah, I didn't think it would be good for your career either. Oh, I did? Serves you right. She did??? Now I'm _really _glad I'm not getting in the middle of your relationships. You're on your own with that one. Alright. See you later."

As he hung up the phone, he realized that his body didn't feel as bad as he thought. He supposed guilt had been making it worse than it was, and now he felt… better. A weight that he hadn't known was there lifted, and for once, he was glad he had someone around to talk to.

"Friends again?" Amelia asked, still standing in the dining room with her hands behind her back, waiting expectantly. He nodded, and she beamed. "Then you'll be able to go with me tomorrow!"

She sat back down on the couch, turned halfway so she could face him. The afternoon sunlight that was streaming through the window played across her dark hair, glinting blue-violet highlights. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle as she smiled, and for just a moment, he was pulled in by her aura, her presence, her… Amelia-ness.

Zelgadiss coughed to cover up the lull in the conversation, and nodded his head in agreement. To steer her from _whatever_ it was that just happened, he said quickly, "I'd better drive you back. If Lina leaves and finds your bike still at the store, she'll hunt me down for making her worry."

"Are you sure you can drive, Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia wondered innocently, picking up her purse and the keys. "Because if you don't think you can, I'd be more than happy to drive your nice, pretty car…" She smirked.

"Amelia…" he warned, baring his teeth in a lopsided grin.

With a shriek, she ran out the door when he lunged for her, but he caught her quickly at the car, and both doubled over laughing, his pains forgotten for the moment. They talked lightly about the next day as they drove, and Zelgadiss found that he not only enjoyed the girl's company, but looked forward to it. Yup, that weight that he carried was definitely gone.

As Amelia waved goodbye when he drove away, she had to fight down the thought that she was glad that he still wanted to see her, without prompting from his friend. No. They were just good friends, and she was trying to hook him up with her sister after all, right? With a tiny sense of disappointment, she nodded to herself as she rode back up the hill to her house.

*******************************

A/N: Chin Na is a more passive form of martial arts, focusing on holds, grips, and pressure points, and it can be used effectively in self-defense situations. Krav Maga is pretty much what Zel described it as. Many law enforcement agencies in the US today are beginning to incorporate this form in their training. This was just a little taste of a Xelloss/Filia relationship as well as a budding attraction between our two main characters. ^_^ Neither is willing to acknowledge anything at the moment, but never fear, loyal readers. All in due time. Speaking of time, I will not be posting next week (I shall be enjoying a Mai Tai on the sunny shores of Hawaii *sigh*) but if circumstances allow, I will have a surprise for you all before the end of this week. ^_^ Aloha!

Again, special thanks to all who've reviewed!!! **eedoe **(Hee hee! Okay, so now that she's 'ditched' Xelloss, I wonder _why_ she'll spend time with Zelgadiss. Hmm… Wrong sister, indeed. I think the poor girl is in denial! ^_^), **Treefairy **(Yahoo, too! Thanks! Amelia's good nature will only go so far, but we'll see how things shape up. I hope you enjoyed the turn of events in this chapter!), **Aisha C **(Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well for Ame/Zel interaction – as well as a little sprinkling of Fil/Xel, too! And as for Ame's past, until we get to that chapter… That's a secret! ~_^), **Kaeru Shisho **(Hmm… bad guys lurk in the shadows, so they'll pop up every now and again, sometimes they'll be more insidious than others. But at least she has a good support group around her! And Val is the type of character who _could_ be bad, but isn't. My type of guy! ~_^ Thanks, and I'll take my notepad along, and hopefully I'll have plenty more ideas when I come back!), **Otaku M-chan** (Since I can't update this next week, keep an eye out for something special in the next few days! Hope it will tide you over!), **Stara Majika **(Thanks for the feedback about Val! I'm glad you think I did a good job with the AU transition. ^_^ And both his and Amelia's bikes are sport bikes. I'm not a motorcycle rider myself – alas, my father wasn't too fond of them when I was growing up, and my husband thinks they're too dangerous – but I've always thought they were cool…), **Cookie **(I'm trying to make their relationship very believable – after all, it took them three years in the anime to get as far as they did… or didn't, depending on how you look at things – and as for who will notice it first? Let's just say that Amelia is used to being very forthcoming with her feelings and Zel is just beginning to learn. Hmm… ~_^ Hope you liked a little more Xel/Fil, too!), **Scatter** (Shadowy lurking character… he'll pop up again later on, but like he said, "I don't have a timeframe…" Hope you liked the Ame/Zel interaction!), **SithKnight-Galen** (Am I dangling that Xel/Fil in front of you again? Sorry! Don't worry. I'll make up for it. Keep an eye out for that surprise I mentioned, and we'll get to see what kind of snake he is. Just remember, even harmless snakes can still bite. ~_^) Until next time!

Click the button!


	18. The Car Show

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. Mustang is owned by Ford, Goldfinger was owned by Ian Fleming, and the websites in the A/N are owned by their respective owners. The Getty Museum is owned by the Getty Foundation. No harm is intended. Please don't sue.

**Chapter 18**

**_The Car Show_**

Zelgadiss awakened early, and wished he hadn't gotten into that fight yesterday.

It was really nothing to bother with. Only his ribs were sore, but he could just see Amelia pointing a finger at him and scolding him for not taking better care of himself.

"_See, Mister Zelgadiss?_" he could hear her saying. "_You should have let me take you to see a doctor. That's not something that should be taken lightly!_" He shook his head. Maybe he should listen to her more often.

He hoisted himself out of bed, showered, and dressed in jeans and a tan t-shirt. Briefly, he had thought of wearing his "normal" attire (khakis and white shirt), but decided that he would rather go casual. He pulled on his sneakers and donned his sweatshirt, and then making sure he had enough money in his wallet, left his house to pick up his friend.

Amelia had asked him if he could pick her up at eight o'clock in the morning, and although the show did not open until ten, he agreed. Knowing that Beth was staying with her sister until her son got better and that Phil was out of town this weekend, Zel wanted to make sure that Amelia did not have to be by herself for very long. Although she seemed embarrassed over her "thing" with being alone, he didn't mind. It was just his _protect and serve_ nature. 

At seven thirty, he pulled into the parking lot of his favorite bagel shop on the way up the hill. Not knowing what Amelia would like, he ordered half a dozen assorted bagels and a tub of cream cheese, as well as two coffees. Peggy, the owner, who had known Zel since before he was in high school, raised an eyebrow at that.

"Two? Are you working today, Zelgadiss-honey?" She asked with a knowing smile. The only time he had ever ordered two cups of coffee was when he had been working with Gourry, but the older woman knew well enough that he hadn't had a partner for years now.

"No, Peggy. As a matter of fact, it's for a _friend_," he answered with a smirk.

"Should I leave room in the other cup for cream? How does she take her coffee?"

"Hmm… I think she drinks it with cream…" He stopped short. _Damn._

Peggy laughed at the blush that was dusting the young man's cheeks. Fell for that one. "Oh, Zelgadiss-honey, it's good to see you dating…"

"It's not a date," he reiterated, taking the coffee holder and bag of bagels. 

"Sure. Here you go, sweetie. Have fun, whatever you're doing today."

He smiled at her despite her teasing and dropped a couple of dollars in the tip jar before walking out to the car. He positioned the drinks and the bagels so they wouldn't topple over, and by a quarter to eight, he was driving the remainder of the way up the hill to the Seyruun residence.

Making good time, Zelgadiss arrived at seven fifty nine and pressed the doorbell at precisely eight o'clock. Apparently, Amelia had already been waiting for him, because she opened the door right away. Like him, she was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

"Good morning, Mister Zelgadiss!" she chirped. _A veritable bluebird of happiness, _he thought wryly. She opened the door and let him inside.

"Morning, Amelia. I brought some…"

"Oh, are those from Lox of Bagels? I _love_ that place."

"I, er… also got you coffee if you drink it. If not, don't worry…"

"It's okay. Every now and then, I do. Thank you very much."

They went into the kitchen and Zelgadiss noticed that all the lights were on and music was drifting down from somewhere upstairs. Amelia set up the food at the kitchen island and fixed up her coffee with sugar and cream. Zel chose an "everything" bagel, a strange looking thing with kosher salt, onions, poppy seeds, and garlic coating it, while Amelia decided on a cinnamon-raisin bagel. He carefully sliced them and put a thin coating of cream cheese on each half.

Amelia squashed her two halves together, making a sandwich, and happily consumed her bagel, nodding her head in time with the light music. She pulled a car magazine out of her backpack, flipped it open, and pushed it across the counter to Zel.

"There are going to be a lot of good vendors at the show today. This is the one I'd like to see. Apparently, they specialize in older Mustangs and Chargers."

She pointed to an advertisement at the bottom of the page: "Baritone Motors – with locations in Saillune, Atlas City, and New Sairaag." As Zelgadiss reached for the magazine, he winced at the stretching muscles over his ribs and tried to cover it by taking a bite of his bagel. Amelia, however, did not miss it at all.

"See, Mister Zelgadiss? You're still hurting, aren't you?" She folded her arms in front of her chest and tried to look sternly at him. "You should have let me take you to see a doctor. It's not something that should be taken lightly."

Zelgadiss almost laughed. Even though it was inevitable, it was still entertaining to see it actually happen. In fact, he had actually spent the ride to her house thinking of an appropriate response to her tirade.

"It's not from the fight yesterday, Amelia. I actually tripped and fell down the steps on the way to the car this morning. Nothing to worry about, really."

She studied him, a worried look crossing her face. The Zelgadiss she knew would _never_ stumble or trip, so how…? 

His lip quirked in amusement at her concern, and she frowned.

"Mister Zelgadiss! I don't appreciate you making fun of me like that!" She pouted and hopped off the stool. To his surprise, she stormed away.

Oh, shit.

Was she really that sensitive? Zel jumped up and ran after her. Grabbing her arm to stop her, he began, "Amelia, wait. I'm sorr…" 

His alarm was completely unfounded. A wide grin split her face and she was trying desperately not to laugh. A mischievous glint shone in her eye, and she smirked. "I can play that game, too, you know!"

"You were… I… Why you little…" he sputtered, and she began giggling.

Before he could retaliate, she broke free with a squeal and darted up the stairs, still laughing. "I'm going to turn everything off so we can go…" She slipped and caught her elbow on a step as she fell, but bounced back up with a laugh and continued as if nothing had happened. By the time she disappeared upstairs, Zelgadiss was chuckling along with her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh, look at that one over there," Amelia sighed, pointing at a silver and black 1968 Mustang Shelby GT 500KR, the _King of the Road_. They walked up to it, and she read from the little placard that was placed in front of it. "_Inspired by Rhode Island dealer/race car builder Bob Tasca, the GT 500KR was rumored to produce 400 horsepower._* Wow, Mister Zelgadiss. I guess even back then that was a powerful car."

She looked at the LCD screen on her camera and took an expert picture of the car and the sign.

"There's your car, Amelia," he mentioned, tapping her on the shoulder. He pointed to the end of the wide hallway that they were in, where dozens of cars were lined up on display. It presented the evolution of the Mustang, beginning with a 1963 running prototype and ending with a pictorial of the newest design concept, a very rounded and sleek car that Zelgadiss wanted to take a closer look at. But for now, his companion was tugging on his sleeve to go to the beginning.

"Hmm…" She sounded surprised.

"What is it?" he asked.

She looked up at him, her forefinger tapping her lip thoughtfully as they stood in front of the 1963 prototype. "Did you know that the Mustang wasn't named after the horse? The original designer, a Mister…" She squinted at the sign. "…John Najjar actually named it after the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane. Ford changed the logo to a horse anyway, I guess. Makes more sense."

"_1964 was the first production model and cost $2320.96,_" Zelgadiss read at the next car, and Amelia made her way over to him. "_A yellow convertible, like the one seen to the left, was featured in the movie 'Goldfinger.' Carroll Shelby began building a lightweight R-model Shelby GT 350 fastback, seen to the right._"

Amelia surreptitiously took a picture of Zelgadiss between the two cars before he noticed, and took another one when he stepped out of the frame. They moved to the next car, and he took over the camera as she happily sighed. They were looking at a beautiful specimen of the car that Amelia had fallen in love with so many years ago.

It was a 1965 Mustang Shelby GT 350 R-model, one of only 37 ever built by Carroll Shelby himself, Wimbleton white with blue Lemans stripes. A gorgeous, shining example of what her car could only aspire to be. Seeing it made her want to do more for her poor baby, and suddenly, she wanted to get to the dealer room as soon as she could. But first more pictures…

Zelgadiss was way ahead of her. While she was looking at the car lovingly, he caught many candid pictures of her and the GT 350 from as many angles as he could with the ropes in the way. She saw him, and he chuckled when she struck a pose, as if she were showing off the car. With a last longing look at her favorite, they continued on their way.

To Zelgadiss and Amelia, they found that the 60's was the definitive decade for the Mustang, only to revive in popularity and body-style in the 90's and the 00's. It was purely a matter of opinion, however, and they found as many people "ooh-ing" and "ah-ing" over the Mustangs of the 70's and 80's as any other decade. Zelgadiss took a picture of his own model, a 2003 convertible SVT Cobra before moving on to the design concept display. Amelia took more pictures of her friend, so thoroughly engrossed in reading about the strange-looking car.

After several more minutes, they bade farewell to the _Mustangs Through the Years_ and took a look at a multitude of beautiful classic cars in the adjoining show rooms, ranging from a 1928 Essex Super Six to a 1957 Ford Fairlaine 500 and from a 1942 Buick Coupe to a 1960 Chevy Impala. 

At one point in time, Amelia asked one of the car's owners to take a picture of both her and Zelgadiss. The picture that resulted was one of her winking at the cameraman and tossing a victory sign with one hand while holding tightly to the back of Zelgadiss' jacket with the other hand to prevent him from escaping. 

"Amelia. I don't like having my picture taken," he muttered as they wandered through the showrooms, looking at all the shiny old classics.

She stuck her tongue out at him in a childlike gesture. "Well, that's too bad, Mister Zelgadiss. It's _my_ camera after all, and I want to remember that _you_ were the one who brought me to the show."

"If that's all, then I can sign an affidavit swearing that I brought you here," he said with a wry smile. "Either that, or I can steal your camera."

Amelia smiled. "You won't," she said knowingly.

"Really? How do you know that?"

"Because you're a policeman, Mister Zelgadiss, and policemen uphold the law," she stated with a finality that was refreshing in such skeptic times.

"Hmm… okay, then maybe I won't steal it. But I can always borrow it…" he ventured.

"'Protect and serve' is your motto," she said, echoing his earlier thoughts. "I trust you." She handed him the camera with a bright smile and hopped away to look at another car. To his chagrin, he found himself following her and taking more pictures, never once touching the "delete" button.

They wandered around the showrooms, stopping now and again to speak with the owners or the restorers to pick up tips and stories before heading off to the dealer room. It was set up in one of the exhibit halls on the lower level, and they were both astounded that so many vendors were packed into the place. It was an amazing congregation of such a wide variety of people of all ages and genders. Row after row of booths was set up, each one selling or advertising anything from car fresheners to full car restorations. At first a little intimidated by the sudden bustle they encountered, Amelia soon led Zelgadiss through the loud throng.

"Our tires and rims ain't just for all these young 'uns with their wind-up cars! We have up to seventeen inch rims…"

"Your car will never smell like a musty old pine forest again with this all-natural, completely one hundred percent biodegradable air freshener! We've got all scents: jasmine, orange, grapefruit, coffee…"

"Don't just baby your car! Indulge it! This is no regular chamois cloth! No! It's made of a _space-age polymer_…"

"Does your car get nicks and dings that cost hundreds of dollars to buff and paint out? Never again, with this amazing car wax. Just rub it in, wipe it off, and voila! Instant fix that costs just pennies!"

"Hey, are you having trouble under the hood? Are you looking for performance? Speed? Or are you just looking to get that classic engine working right? This is the place! Baritone Motors!"

A young boy, who could not have been more than twelve years old, with large blue eyes and dark brown hair, stood before a booth yelling to be heard above the crowd. A tall thin woman with blonde hair styled up in a classic 60's beehive stood in the booth behind a cloth-covered table piled with stacks of photos and leaflets, looking down her nose at the people who walked by, even those who appeared remotely interested. A reconditioned motor rested on a stand behind her under a huge black and green sign that said: Baritone Motors.

Amelia led Zelgadiss up to the booth and began looking through the leaflets on the table. Upon seeing the arrival of a potential client, the woman ambled up and, with a definite air of superiority, addressed them.

"Hello. I'm Reina Baritone, owner of Baritone Motors. Is there anything I might be able to help you with today, Sir?" She was looking at Zelgadiss.

With a quick glance at Amelia to gauge her reaction, he answered, "Yes, my friend here is the one you might want to ask."

She looked down at the girl and back up at Zelgadiss.

"Well, feel free to take a look at our catalog. We can modify just about any engine to get the desired output, but always within reason, of course."

Amelia piped in, but she felt slightly affronted over this woman not addressing her when _she_ was the one with the car that needed help. "Do you just modify and refurbish engines, or do you also do work on cooling systems and manual transmissions?" she asked with a knowledge that belied her age.

The woman looked blankly at her before gathering her thoughts and addressing Zelgadiss.

"We do work on the entire car, but our specialty is under the hood…"

Amelia had had enough.

"_Excuse_ me, ma'am, but _I'm_ the one who owns the car, and _I'm_ the one who is looking for someone intelligent, competent, and honorable enough to work on it, so I suggest that if you really want the business, then you should pay more attention to your clientele."

In a huff, Amelia turned away and stalked off. 

"Normally, I wouldn't bother, but in this I agree with her. You just lost a great customer," he shot back at the stunned woman. Zelgadiss shook his head and followed his friend.

They hadn't gotten ten steps away when someone tugged on Amelia's sleeve. She glanced down in surprise. The boy who had been yelling the advertisement smiled widely at her.

"Wow. You have a lot of spirit to speak to my mother that way. I'm Marco Baritone. She usually doesn't like to come to these events, so that's why she's cranky, but I think they're great. Here's my card and a flyer if you need any help with your car. For sticking it to my mom, I'll make sure you get a good discount," he said with a wink.

Amelia almost hesitated taking the items from him. "Umm… Are you sure it's okay?" she wondered with a quick glance behind her to where the boy's mother was trying to hear what they were saying.

"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem…"

A cute girl with short flippy blonde hair and large brown eyes, who was no older than the boy, stepped over from her booth across the aisle and interrupted their conversation.

"He tells everyone that, you know. He does it to get people into a contract, but just make sure you read the fine print. _I_ don't think it's much of a discount."

"Sera, you dope! Stop lying about me!"

"Then you stop trying to steal our customers, you stupid-head!" The girl backed over to her booth, Alto Classics, where an older portly man with grey hair and a handlebar moustache was glaring daggers at someone behind them. Turning around, they saw that the object of his ire was Ms. Baritone herself.

"Rex Alto! You tell your little brat not to talk to my Marco that way!" she yelled across the aisle.

"Brat??? Your little ruffian provoked my Sera, you wench!"

"Dummy!"

"Dope!"

Amelia and Zelgadiss watched the exchange with a perverse fascination, and before long, buttons, then pencils, and then wadded up pieces of paper began flying back and forth between the warring foursome. Some of the neighboring vendors began to lean forward out of their booths to witness the ruckus, but no one intervened. They all seemed content to watch the Alto/Baritone feud and just make comments to one another.

"Wow. There they go again," the air-freshener lady muttered.

"Every year they're like that," the polymer man said with a yawn. "I think the people who set this thing up place their booths across from each other on purpose, just so that there's some drama. It draws the customers here."

"Yeah. Sure enough, there they are." Air-freshener pointed to the entrance of the aisle, where several patrons began to crowd around to find out what was going on. "At least it's good for business…"

Having had enough of the bizarre fight and the vulture-like vendors, Zel led Amelia away.

"It's too bad they have to fight like that," Amelia said, glancing over her shoulder at the row the two rivals were causing. Security had stepped in and one man was physically holding Reina back from Rex, while the children were still arguing. "Alto Classics does all the nice bodywork and interior restorations while Baritone Motors does everything under the hood. If they got along better, I might have had them _both_ work on my car."

"Why, that sounds like it would be _just_ the job for us," a tall beautiful woman with long redder-than-red hair said to Amelia. "I'm Mazenda, co-owner of 'K & M.' Now, let me tell you a little bit about ourselves…"

She was standing in the "K & M Racing" booth next to a gentleman with spiky greener-than-green hair. They were both in business suits, and on the table before them was an array of free goodies as well as a couple of binders of their work. Apparently, their name was misleading. They did mostly performance work, but their main area of expertise was in reconditioning and restoring classic cars with a modern twist: engine work that made the cars not only more environmentally friendly, but more economical as well. This made their work unappealing for many classic car purists, but to some, their work was invaluable. Their motto was: _How classic cars would have been made today_. 

After chatting Mazenda up on the finer points of their business and their work, Amelia took out the pictures of her car and began to discuss what she wanted done. Zelgadiss tried to stifle a yawn as the talk turned to both the technical and subjective aspects of cars, and he allowed his eyes to wander over the pictures in the book. There were several pictures of classic Shelby's as well as modern Mustangs, classic Chargers and Firebirds, and modern Corvettes. 

After turning several pages, however, something strange caught his eye, and he began flipping back to double check…

"Did you find something you like?" the gentleman asked him, finally stepping forward to say something.

"No, it's not that, it's just…" Zelgadiss eyed the man and decided not to make anything of it. "It's just that these are mostly sports cars. Do you do anything else?" He turned to the back of the album, appearing to look for any more cars, and caught a quick glimpse that confirmed his suspicions.

"I'm afraid not, sir. 'Kanzel and Mazenda Racing' is just that. We really only specialize in racing."

"A pity," he said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Well, thank you very much for your help. Amelia, are you ready to go?"

Almost like a child who had stayed up too late, Amelia looked sulkily up at him before nodding and putting her pictures back in her purse. Mazenda shook her hand and gave her a business card before Zelgadiss hurried her away.

"I wasn't really done talking with her, Mister Zelgadiss," she muttered as they continued on their way, looking halfheartedly at the booths.

"I know, but if you need to, you can always talk to her over the phone later, right? Besides, we've got another five aisles to walk through, and I'm getting hungry."

Amelia's face brightened. That was easy. Just like Lina, mention food and the girl forgets her woes. "Oooh, speaking of hungry, I know this great little place nearby. I think you'll like it, Mister Zelgadiss."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zelgadiss seemed very distracted as they sat at the table, the hotpot boiling happily between them. They were cooking vegetables, beef, and shrimp in the seaweed-laced water. Amelia pointed out items that were ready, and he absently fished them out with his chopsticks. Without really concentrating, he dipped every now and again in sauce, and ate the cooked items with his rice. She had really hoped he would enjoy himself at the show, but it was clear that he did not like the dealer room at all, and that was one of the reasons that she had wanted to go.

"Mister Zelgadiss?" she said gently, not wanting to bother him when he was obviously so deep in thought. He glanced up at her, barely registering her face, and his chopsticks dipped down into the hotpot once more, searching for food. Amelia placed her hand on his. "Mister Zelgadiss. We're done. There's no more food left."

His eyes focused on her, then down at their hands. He grinned sheepishly as she released him, and then he scratched the back of his head when he put his chopsticks down.

"I apologize, Amelia. I guess I haven't been very good company, have I?"

"No, not really," she admitted, and he flinched. 

The waitress came over and took the bill and Amelia's money, and Zelgadiss lowered his head in shame. "It's okay, Mister Zelgadiss, really. I was the one who dragged you along to the show, and I wasn't sure if you'd like shabu-shabu anyway."

He shook his head. "Amelia, it's not that at all. I really did have a good time. Something just got me to thinking, and I should have figured it out later instead of now. Today was supposed to be _your_ day. I'm sorry."

Her smile was forgiveness enough. She suddenly leapt up from the table, struck her forefinger in the air and cried, "Then let's do something that _you_ think is fun! It can be anything at all, how about that? It'll be absolutely great, I just _know_ it!"

Unluckily for Zelgadiss, there were several other people in the restaurant, and her enthusiasm was echoed by a hearty, "Banzai!" followed by a downing of several cups of sake. Amelia grinned. 

He wished he could have a nice big bottle of sake of his own to down at the moment to cover his reddening face. "Sure, Amelia. Let's go now, alright? It'll be a surprise."

"Of course! I love surprises!" she said brightly, and she hopped along behind him. Another "Banzai!" followed them out, and she couldn't help but wonder if those people just needed an excuse to drink some more.

They left the restaurant and drove back towards the downtown area. Zelgadiss checked his watch. It was only three o'clock, so there should be plenty of time to make it to the museum before it closed. It was a clear day, so they should have a great view of the city. Her interest in the tiny model of the Getty Museum would be nothing compared to her enthusiasm when she saw the real thing.

It would probably take them the rest of the afternoon just to see the gardens and only one of the many galleries. For some reason, Zel began to look forward to missing a lot of the exhibits, just so he would have an excuse to take her back there one day. Perhaps they could even return for dinner and see the city lit up at night… 

They had just merged onto the freeway when his cel phone rang, this time with a different tune than before. A very distinctive tune to Zelgadiss. His face suddenly became grave as he found his phone and answered it.

"Greywords here. Where? Okay, I know where it is. The clothing store at the corner. Understood." He glanced at his watch as drove, switched gears, and held the phone all at the same time. "ETA…" He glanced at Amelia then decided. "Ten minutes." He hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?"

"Amelia, I'm sorry. I've got to cancel your surprise. I've got to go to work."

"Work?" She was pretty sure it wasn't as a limo driver.

He looked over at her, and said quietly, "Please, just trust me."

At her nod, he reached under the dashboard and flipped a switch. The car's headlights began to flash with red and blue and a loud wail sounded outside. Cars began to move out of his way, and Amelia was finally able to see that Zelgadiss really _was_ careful about the way he drove, even more so when he drove _fast_. 

Downtown Saillune freeways always tended to be fairly congested, and with many people driving at such varying speeds, accidents were inevitable, especially when one drives too fast. Zelgadiss, however, knew what he was doing. He wove his Mustang expertly in and out of traffic, between cars and trucks, but at _speed_. They came up quickly on a pickup merging into the slow lane, and with a jerk on the steering wheel, Zel narrowly missed the truck's bumper as he squeezed between it and the wall to the right. He raced by on the shoulder, and then ducked back into traffic, inches away from hitting a guardrail. 

Amelia, although excitement-loving and thrill-seeking, was not prepared for this kind of adventure. Somewhere in the back of her mind, though, she appreciated the way the car responded to his touch, both accelerating _and_ slowing quickly without shuddering, and changing lanes easily with the slightest turn of the steering wheel. Of course, that was all buried beneath other conflicting emotions. She held tightly onto the door and the seat, torn between the exhilaration and the terror of the heart-stopping way her friend was driving. She merely held on for dear life, closing her eyes every now and again whenever she thought they were going to die. 

Zelgadiss finally slowed when he exited the freeway to take surface streets, but then they were cheating death on the streets of downtown Saillune, tearing across intersections and around cars. People jumped out of the way when the car came streaking by, and Amelia was sure she learned a few new curse words that day.

After several nail-biting close calls, he suddenly turned off the lights and the siren and slowed to a stop about a block away from a police line. The police were out, trying to keep a crowd of onlookers back behind the yellow caution tape. While Amelia was adjusting to the relative calm of the parked car, she slowly realized that Zelgadiss was regarding at her with a look of concern.

"Amelia, take the car and drive it home. To _my_ house. I'll get someone to drop me off later, and then I'll bring you back home." 

When she nodded, he got out of the car and went to the trunk to get his things. Amelia slowly stepped out as well, and moved around to the driver's side while he unlocked a special compartment and pulled out a duffel bag. Closing the trunk, he slung the bag over his shoulder and then looked at her. Wordlessly, he handed her the keys and turned to go, but she caught his hand in both of hers.

"Be careful, Mister Zelgadiss," she said quietly. He nodded and was about to leave, but he paused at the feather touch on his arm. "I'll be waiting," she whispered as she finally let him go. Worry filled her heart as she watched him stride purposefully away. Knowing that his work was as a sniper for the Saillune PD, she realized that even in that position, he could still be in danger. 

Amelia tore her eyes away from his retreating figure and hoped that he would come home safely.

***************************

A/N: Aloha, everyone!!! I'm back, and fairly well rested. Although it was cloudy and kind of stormy in Hawaii, it was still a great experience (aside from me getting sick the first few days _). I was able to come back with a clearer mind and a lot of new ideas, so hopefully they'll translate to the story well. Sorry if Zel and Ame's "date" ended on a weird note, but the next chapter is a bit of a dark one, so it couldn't end too happy-happy. -_-  *Any of this technical stuff about Mustangs or the other cars comes from either fordheritage.com or thecarconnection.com or gaspumpclassics.com

A very special set of thanks to everyone who reviewed. *hugs!!!***_ Mahalo!_** (Which is "Thank you!" in Hawaiian. ^_^*) **Treefairy** (Thank you thank you thank you! It's fun to watch two people, who so obviously hit it off, slowly discover that they actually have feelings for each other. This is going to be sooooo fun! ~_^), **Kaeru Shisho** (I had so much fun writing that Zel/Xel make-up. Hmm… it should be interesting to hear what Xelloss had to say on the other end, especially concerning Filia. Just goes to show what some guys will do for a pretty girl! ~_^ I can only strive to keep getting better, and although this was the 'writer's-block' chapter, I hope it met your expectations. ^_^), **Valk** (I'm glad you can sneak in a review every now and again. It's always good to hear from you! I enjoy the other characters' interactions as well, and I try to do them justice when they pop up in the story. Although this chapter was Zel and Ame's time, the next chapter should give us a little bit more of Zel and someone else. ^_^), **Aisha C** (I'm so glad you liked that chapter! Poor Xelloss. Well, maybe he's not _that _bad after all. ~_^So, what did you think of their "date-not-a-date?" Looks like Zel's loosening up a bit, but there's always something to pull him away… Oh, and don't worry about Jordan. I've got some plans for him, so he's safe. Thank you again!), **Cookie** (I love long chapters too; the juicier, the better! I'm trying to keep them hovering around 15 pages or so each. I'm glad you like the characterization I've done, too! ^_^), **eedoe** (Zel… brooding, angst driven 'loner' with a few close friends. Amelia… spunky, youngest one of the group, ready to speak her mind. Hmm… sounds _awfully_ familiar. They're all so cute! *winks* Xelloss and Filia are fun to write: how do ex's act to each other after several years? It should be interesting when they're pushed back together again in later chapters. ^_^), **pogo** (I'm glad to hear from you again! I like the other character interactions as well, and I'm always looking for ways to put a little bit more of that into the story. One is coming up in the next chapter that I hope you enjoy!), **katy** (Hey, new reviewer!!! Thanks! I'm glad you find it interesting. Sometimes I wonder about the pacing of my story, and I'm happy that you think it's like watching an episode. It helps me know that my pacing is pretty much what I wanted it to be. Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you again soon!), and **SithKnight Galen** ("…a taste of Ranma…" I thought that was cute! It's been sooooo long since I've seen Ranma that I'm actually thinking of raiding my sister's DVD collection for whatever she's got – mine is sadly lacking - just so I can immerse myself in the romance/angst/comedy. Anyhoo, yes, the characters each have some sort of martial arts or weapon proficiency. I figured Krav Maga would just fit Xelloss so perfectly! As for Filia, she uses Chin Na, which, from what I understand, is merely a form of passive martial arts that uses pressure points, grabs, and joint manipulations. She didn't exactly disable Xelloss, though; think of the way in RK, Kenshin _lets_ Kaoru hit him. As for the others, in the anime, Gourry and Zangulus don't have magic, but they have enchanted weapons… And Val… hmm… Oh, and as for the Naga/Tesla showdown… I've got something fun in mind for that! ~_^) 

Okay. Now that my A/N is as long as the actual story, a bit of free advertising! Although it's coming down to the wire, check out the Slayers FF Contest! Look on **pogo's** author page for the website. The trad couples contest ends in February, so anyone with any ideas or stories floating around, check it out now! Write and submit! ^_^

Click the button and review!__


	19. To Protect and Serve

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters and Wen from Cowboy Bebop are owned by very talented people who make all the money. The Body Shop and The Sharper Image are also owned by other people. No harm is intended. Please don't sue.

**Warning:** This chapter is going to be an **"R"** rating for content and language: violence, drug references and use, profanity (yes, even the "F" word), and teen suicide. If you are offended or are squeamish about any of the above, please skip this chapter. You have been warned.

**Chapter 19**

**_To Protect and Serve_**

Zelgadiss showed the policewoman his badge, and she allowed him to pass under the yellow caution tape that cordoned off the street. He chanced to look back over his shoulder, and saw Amelia, a block away, trying to negotiate his car through the growing crowd. Torn between wanting to stay to make sure she was able to leave okay and needing to get to the command post on time, he finally pushed aside the tiny string of attachment that had developed between the two and marched on to the clothing store at the corner of a large outdoor mall.

"Greywords," Lieutenant Bayner, who was a tall, thin, and balding man, looked up from the cleared off counter and acknowledged his entrance. All the clothes racks had been pushed up against the walls to create a clear pass through the middle of the large room. Blueprints were spread out in front of the man, so Zelgadiss placed his duffel bag down on a nearby table that someone had just set up to house the communication equipment. 

"Right on time, as always. Good. I need you here…" He lifted a sheet of paper and looked down at a map that was underneath the blueprints. He pointed to a green square near the center courtyard marked "The Body Shop" which was across the courtyard and several stores down from the big red circle around "The Sharper Image."

"Target?"

"We'll advise when you get there. All we know so far is that it's a male and he's taken hostages, possibly five or six. Armed with what witnesses said was anything from a .22 to an uzi. I've got some guys trying to go in now to get a better look. We've got the area evacuated, and S.W.A.T is on its way. Take the back entrance to the store. Mister Chenny here will guide you through the service entrance."

A nervous looking man in a janitor's coveralls, who was standing nearby removed his hat, and Zel nodded curtly in return.

"Understood," Zelgadiss said and picked up his bag, ready to follow the janitor.

"Greywords, there's something you should know first." Zel's eyes narrowed as he turned back to look at the lieutenant. The man appeared uncomfortable, but he cleared his throat and explained, "One of the hostages… is Gabriev."

The blood drained out of Zelgadiss' hands and feet, and for a moment, he wondered if he should even be there. How could he be objective when his friend was involved? And Lina. What would she say if anything happened to…? 

No. Right now, Gourry needed him solid, and he quickly regained control of himself. 

"Channel 173, Greywords."

"Understood, Sir. Right, then. Let's go," he commanded Mister Chenny, and through the service tunnels they went.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He was glad they placed him here, although it stank of dozens of different kinds of oils and incenses and soaps. The interior was dark, and it was at just the right distance: well within range of his scope but far enough away that it wouldn't seem a threat. There were officers in fairly conspicuous positions on the other side of the store to draw attention away from him. Good. He slowly pushed open one of the two front doors and wedged a store display block between them.

Methodically, Zelgadiss opened his duffel bag and set everything up. His earpiece and radio went on first, then his vest. Checking the correct channel, he pressed the button on his bulletproof vest.

"Greywords here."

Static crackled in his ear for a second before, "Go ahead."

"I've arrived at my destination. Setting up shop now."

"Understood. Out."

He pulled out a hard case from the duffel and unlocked it. With speed and care, he assembled his rifle, checking his scope and setting up the bi-pod as he had done countless times before. Within a couple of minutes, he had settled in to his good vantage point on the ground with the barrel of his rifle sticking out of the slightly open door. Whatever aches he had that morning from his fight yesterday were forgotten as he immersed himself into his work. He rested his cheek lightly against the stock as he peered through his scope, pulling the world he was set to invade into focus.

He counted his blessings as he saw that there were hardly any reflections on the glass storefront to distract him, and he began his survey of the store. One, two, three people sitting on the floor facing him, all looking frightened, a set of feet sticking out from behind the base of a display, but still moving (four), and a hand clenching and unclenching on the other side of the display (five) but no sign of Gourry or the suspect.

Doing another sweep of the store, he found that he missed something. There was a hand peeking out from behind the counter in the back and… a streak of blood along the floor.

"No sign of the suspect. I count five hostages plus one down. Still no sign of… hold."

There he was. It looked like a young boy, but by the way the hostages reacted to his sudden presence, it was clear that this "boy" was the one responsible for their situation. Tucked into his waistband was a .22, and slung over his shoulder was what appeared to be a shotgun.

"Target acquired. Male, Caucasian, approximately fifteen or sixteen years old. Dark brown hair, green eyes. He's in a suit." He adjusted his scope and tried to focus as he moved around. "His eyes appear dilated and he's moving around unsteadily. Possibly under the influence. No sign of Gabriev. Over."

"Understood. Maintain your position. We're sending in a negotiator in a couple of minutes. Out."

A couple of minutes? Damn, that could be Gourry bleeding to death behind that counter! What the hell was wrong with them? He followed the boy as he walked around the store, gesturing wildly and moving his mouth, obviously talking to someone, but no one appeared to be answering. The boy must be tripping hard. Where was the rest of the S.W.A.T. unit?

A sudden commotion sounded in the courtyard, and Zel risked a glance to see what was going on. A pale man with wavy green hair and dressed in a t-shirt and slacks, walked forward slowly with his hands raised and stopped about ten feet away from the storefront. It looked like he was trying not to appear to be an authority figure, but even Zel thought he was failing badly. He was saying something loudly to the store, his hands still held out to his sides. Looking back, the boy had gone to the door and was yelling through the crack between the front doors, tossing the shotgun to the ground and pointing the pistol at the negotiator. He was smiling with a strange look on his face, waving the gun in the air and laughing. Then he was deadly serious, shooting an unsettling glare at the man outside.

"Sir, I've got the target now. He's away from the hostages…"

"Stand down, Greywords. We've got our best negotiator out there."

The boy opened the door, and the negotiator stepped closer when beckoned. 

"Sir!" he requested again. Silence.

Green eyes turned cold, and before Zel could react, the boy had thrown a butterfly knife that no one seemed to have seen at the negotiator. Then he closed the door, locking it behind him. He yelled something again, and displayed his middle finger to the man outside. The negotiator, a shocked and queasy look on his face, held the hilt of the blade in his thigh as he sank to his knees. Two officers appeared, hooked their arms under his, and dragged him to safety.

The radio was suddenly ablaze with commands and responses back and forth, but Zel shut them out, concentrating on the kid and the hostages. The boy sat down in one of the massage chairs on the far side of the store, just hidden enough from view that Zel couldn't get a good shot off if he wanted. Now he had to wait again. All he could see was an arm… with a tight strap around it, just below the bicep… and a needle…

"Sir, the target is sticking himself. Over."

"Greywords, do you have a shot?"

"Negative, sir. He's behind cover."

"Damn. Maintain your position."

"Where's S.W.A.T?"

There was a pause then, "There's been a delay. You're all we've got right now, Greywords. Maintain your position."

Minutes slid by, and Zel had to watch the boy's twitching arm. He idly wondered if there was any way he could have overdosed, but that idea was squashed when the gun appeared in the kid's hand. 

A drop of sweat slipped down his temple, and he wiped his face on his sleeve. His gaze returned to the store, and his mind frantically worked at trying to figure out a way to get these people out safely. If only the kid wasn't behind that display, he could take him out now that he was dosing up. Shit. Maybe he could shoot the gun…

A blonde head suddenly leaned forward from behind another display, and inwardly, Zel breathed a sigh of relief. Gourry was alive, but what the hell was he doing? Even now, his old partner was still clenching and unclenching his hand, and he finally knew what he was thinking. His friend wanted to be able to do something and not sit idly by while there were others in jeopardy.

"Sir, I've just acquired Gabriev."

Gourry appeared to be talking to the boy, but he wasn't listening. His head lolled to the side, and Zel saw that he was not far from la la land. Gourry would be hard-pressed to get through to him.

"Maintain your position."

"The target's tripping, sir."

"Leave it, Greywords!"

Dammit. If only he could have a better shot. He would just have to bide his time and hope that S.W.A.T. would be able to get here on time. Then they would have more vantage points available to them.

The radio crackled to life in his ear. 

"The negotiator is going back in. Out."

And now the negotiator was limping back to his spot in front of the store. Zel had a bad feeling about this. The man began talking loudly at the store again. Fat lot of good it did him last time. It appeared that he was following some kind of set pattern, almost as if he had taken a page out of "The Negotiator's Handbook" and was reenacting exactly what it said. 

Zel checked the scope again, and his stomach clenched. The boy's head snapped up at the sudden noise from outside, and his face went from a look of ecstasy to a look of pure hatred and madness. He pushed himself up out of the chair and swayed into a display cabinet, knocking it over with a crash. Zel had a full view again.

"I've got him, Sir."

Even from this distance, Zel could suddenly hear what the kid was yelling. His heart began to race.

"_I thought I told you all to fuckin' go away, you stupid prick! Do you want to _see_ these guys die? Cause I can kill another one, if you don't believe me!_"

"Sir!"

"Greywords! I'm warning you!"  
  


"_Lemme start with this one over here…_"

"Dammit, sir, it's Gourry!"

"Stand down!"

The gun swerved towards Gourry's forehead and stopped, suddenly and eerily very still. Zel's finger twitched. The negotiator was still trying to talk to the boy.

"_It'll be your fault if he dies!_"

Only Zel could see through his scope that the kid's finger tightened around the trigger.

"Shit, Sir! He's going to kill him!"

"Stand down!"

The hammer began to pull back.

"He's going to fucking kill Gourry!!!"

One heartbeat. 

One blink of an eye.

"Take the…"

Zel's finger moved. The bullet shattered the glass storefront and tore through the boy's hand. The gun went spinning across the floor.

"…shot." 

An empty casing landed with a clink on the tile next to him when he threw back the bolt and the next bullet slid into the chamber. Not satisfied with the one shot, Zel stood so he could keep his rifle trained on the kid, and watched in horror as both he and Gourry dove for the gun. The man came up with it, but the boy had a drug-given strength that he hadn't counted on, and it was wrestled out of his grip. This time, the .22 was held with the boy's left hand, but instead of shooting right away, he slammed the butt of the gun into Gourry's temple, and the man slumped to the floor. Now, he aimed at the prone man's head.

"Shit."

Without requesting permission, Zel stepped forward through the door and opened fire, hitting the boy in the left arm, but he still did not drop the weapon. Again, hitting him in the leg, to no avail. Suddenly, green eyes shot up, and Zelgadiss found himself looking straight into the huge pupils of his target. He had been spotted.

The target limped towards Zelgadiss, swinging the gun to face him. He fired, and Zel heard the bullet whiz by his head.

"That's right, you son of a bitch," Zel murmured, advancing on the target. "Shoot at me instead…"

A loud 'ping' signaled that the light pole he had used for partial cover had been hit. He just needed to buy some time… The next shot missed by mere inches as it grazed his hair. Just two more steps, and he'd have the shot.

A look of wonder and determination suddenly dawned on the kid's face, and he laughed, that eerie maniacal laugh. A chill raced down Zel's spine at the sound. Before he could stop him, the boy pointed the gun at his own temple and pulled the trigger.

"NO!"

He could hear the orders to move in, but Zel was already halfway there. 

"Fuck! Get in here now! We need a medic!" he yelled into the radio, but he knew that even now, they were too late.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Where the hell did you get that negotiator?" Zelgadiss demanded later that afternoon when Lieutenant Bayner walked into the command post. It had been relocated to the crime scene when the hostages had been interviewed and carted away to Saillune Medical Center. Gourry was unharmed, save that knock to his head, but a familiar-looking medic was still giving him the once over. If he could remember correctly, she had been at Amelia's party. Sylphiel, or something. 

The sudden thought of Amelia snapped whatever patience he had left. It was already six o'clock and they were just finishing being debriefed. 

"Don't start in on me, Greywords," he grumbled, walking over to the table where Zelgadiss had filled out his report. He picked up the papers to glance at what he had written, but Zel was not to be deterred.

"He almost got Gourry killed _twice_! Who the hell _was_ that?"

"They sent him up from Atlas City last week. They said that he was the best they had. He was conducting a training meeting when we called him in."

"Where is he now? Is he going to answer for the death of that kid? I could have taken him out _before_ he shot up, and he'd still be _alive_!" Zel stood and pounded the table with his fist. "Since when is pushing someone over the edge part of negotiating?!"

"I said not to start in on me, Greywords. He's going up for review. You should be glad that I don't send you up either for firing on the suspect without permission."

He growled. "I don't think I need to tell you why I did, sir."

"No, you don't. And you're right." Bayner sat down and rubbed his face with his hands. He appeared as if he had aged ten years. "If it weren't for the bungling of the new guy, that poor kid would be alive to stand trial. As it is, he ended up taking his own life as well as the life of his partner in crime."

"Sir?"

"The body. Apparently, Gabriev said he was out shopping and had followed a suspicious person into the store. That man turned out to be the kid's partner and he tried holding up the store. Gabriev was about to apprehend him, but then the kid came in, had an argument with guy, and killed him. By that point, all hell broke loose, and the rest, you know."

Zelgadiss frowned. How could a day that started out well enough have turned into this hell?

"Put it behind you, son. You did all that you could do, and you helped to save several lives today." The lieutenant patted him on the shoulder, and went out to deal with the press.

Before he got too far, Zel called out, "What was his name, sir?"

"We ID-ed him as Wen Genius. The guy was his hookup."

"No, I meant the negotiator, sir."

"Oh. That was Joe Artemay. I'll be having words with the captain about him. The idiot. It's almost like he had no idea what he was doing…"

"Or maybe he did," Zelgadiss muttered to himself. He had no tolerance for incompetence, and he couldn't figure out why Atlas City would believe that he was the best they had to offer. He frowned as he shouldered his duffel bag and walked over to Gourry who was approaching him. Sylphiel was packing up her equipment, gazing worriedly at the man, but put away her things and closed the back doors to the ambulance. She disappeared towards the passenger side and then the ambulance drove away.

"How's your head?"

"Sylphiel said I didn't have a percussion…"

"Concussion."

"…concussion, so that's good. I can see just fine, and I'm not dizzy at all. I'm just… It's just that…" He sighed, obviously upset about something.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked his friend, and the taller man shook his head.

"That was the reason I became a cop in the first place, Zel. I didn't want to see kids out on the streets, all doped up and doing stupid, stupid things. I couldn't get through to him at all. It was like I wasn't even there."

"At least you tried, Gourry. That's all we can do, right? And if you weren't there, someone else could have been killed."

Mutely, he nodded his head.

"Hey, where are you parked?" Gourry asked after several moments of silence.

"Oh, Amelia took my car." At the unasked question, Zel added, "We went to the Car Show today."

"So you need a ride home?"

"Yeah. Thanks. Let's go get a beer and some food first," he offered, clapping him on the back. He hoped he could help cheer up his friend.

"Sure."

Gourry drove to their old haunt, Lucky's Tab, and each man ordered a Foster's and two burgers. Gourry must have really been feeling bad if that was all he planned on eating. They tapped their bottles in silent cheers, and then took long swigs. They sat and didn't say much, each man used to keeping his thoughts to himself. But having almost lost one of the few people he liked calling a good friend, Zel opened his mouth.

"I wouldn't have let you die, you know."

Gourry glanced over at his old partner and nodded. "I know. I'm glad you were out there today, Zel, backing me up like old times."

"What, Zangulus isn't working out?"

"He's alright, I guess," he said with a shrug. "We work together just fine, but I don't think he really likes me that much. He keeps on trying to get me into a fight. Life was so much easier when you were my partner. Maybe I should have gone with you to S.W.A.T. when you came back, instead of turning it down."

Zel grinned. "They would have loved to have you. You know you're a better marksman than I am." He could have sworn the big man blushed, so he slapped him on the back. "But you wanted to work with the public, remember? _Peace_ officer?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Their food arrived then, two baskets holding two large hamburgers and fries, and they spent the next quiet minutes eating. Zel ordered another burger 'to go' for Amelia, hoping she wouldn't be angry with him for ending their da… day so abruptly. He shook his head slightly to clear his mind, and tried to change the course of his thoughts. He pushed aside his empty basket and wiped his mouth. 

"I was thinking about going back full time on S.W.A.T. but after that debacle today, maybe my current arrangement is better. If I disobey an order, they can't very well reassign me, can they?" he said with a smirk.

Gourry nodded and downed the rest of his beer.

"I hope they don't reassign me," he said worriedly, and Zel hoped he hadn't given the taller man something else to worry about.

"They won't reassign you. You're one of their best officers, you know."

He nodded again and reached for the tab when the bartender placed the 'to go' order between them. Shaking his head, Zel took the bill instead and paid the bartender. "You can get me next time, Gourry." 

As they walked to Gourry's truck, Zelgadiss remembered something important. 

"Oh, by the way, can you do me a favor when you go into the station?" He reached into his pocket and fished out a folded piece of paper.

"What's that?"

"I need you to do a background check on some stuff for me." 

He handed Gourry a flyer that he had stuffed into his pocket at the car show. They got back into the truck, and Gourry started the engine as he looked at it, a curious expression on his face.

"'Kanzel and Mazenda Racing?' What's this?"

"Amelia wants to use them to help her restore her car, but…"

Gourry's instincts took over and he realized that there was more to Zelgadiss' concern than he wanted to voice at that time. "Don't worry about it," he said, cutting him off. They merged onto the freeway and were on their way home. "I'll take a look tomorrow, and I'll be looking for…"

"Any past records, connections, and history. The business especially."

"Sure." He glanced at Zel for a moment, trying to determine if it was something he should be worried about as well. Amelia was _his_ friend too, after all.

Zelgadiss, sensing his friend's concern, figured he should give him _something_ to work off of. 

"They had this book of pictures, cars that they had supposedly restored or worked on over the years. There were several duplicate photos… as if they were trying to fill up the book. And…" Now that he said it aloud, it sounded stupid, really.

"And what else?"

He sighed. "And the date stamp on all the pictures was the same. March 15, 2003."

"The 'Ides of March?'" Gourry wondered, amazingly making the connection. Now Zel really felt foolish. 'Beware the Ides of March,' indeed.

"I just thought it was strange that _all_ the pictures were taken on the same date…"

"Don't worry about it Zel. I'll take care of it."

That was something he could count on with his friend. When he didn't want to talk, Gourry never forced him to talk. Good man. He had just settled into enjoying the silence when his cel phone rang.

"Hello?" Zel answered, and then quickly pulled the phone back away from his ear. "Yeah, he's here. No, he's okay. Geez, here you go." Handing the phone to his friend, he explained, "It's Lina."

Gourry spoke quietly as they drove, but from the soothing tone of his voice, the man was apparently trying to calm her down. Before long, he handed the phone back to Zel.

"Lina saw us on the news a little while ago," he said, pointing generally to the sky to indicate the news helicopters that had been circling the crime scene earlier. "I'm going to stop by her place after I drop you off. She said she'd hurt me if she didn't get to see for herself that I was okay."

Zelgadiss smiled. "You know, Gourry. If she weren't so damned stubborn all the time, she'd see that you're more important to her than she thinks."

He nodded and finally smiled that day. "I know, Zel. Just don't tell _her_ that."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With a weak wave to Gourry as he drove away, Zelgadiss trudged up the driveway, silently glad that his car, and therefore Amelia, was home. It was approaching eight o'clock, but the sun was still hanging low in the sky, and the lights in the house weren't on yet. Not wanting to bother her, he fumbled around for his spare keys in his bag and unlocked the front door.

"Amelia!" he called, dropping his duffel bag on the floor and Amelia's food on the table. "I'm back."

Having been on edge, when she did not immediately greet him, he drew his handgun and checked the magazine, sliding it back into place with a click. He wandered through the house, checking the rooms and even the backyard. She was nowhere to be found. A knot of unease tensed in his gut, and he checked the answering machine. No messages. Damn. Where was she?

His eyes landed on a page from his message pad that was lying on the table by the front door. He had set the food on top of it. Putting the safety back on the gun and placing on the table, he picked up the note and read:

'Mister Zelgadiss,

I'm at the beach.

Amelia.'

His heart began beating again, and he was out the door before the paper landed on the floor.

It was easy to find her; he walked the two blocks to the beach and found her sitting on the back of the bench with her feet on the seat. Her elbows were resting on her knees, her chin in her hands, as she stared out at the ocean. The setting sun played off her dark hair, picking up highlights and surrounding her head in a halo of gold and violet. Strangely, just seeing her, safe and sound, set his mind and his heart at ease, and the tension from the day slowly began to ebb out of him.

He crossed the street and approached her quietly. She was still staring out at the water, and as he came around to her side, he found out that she was holding a handkerchief and was crying silently into it.

"Amelia? Are you okay?"

She spun around abruptly and almost fell off the bench, but he caught her before she fell. Instead of letting her go when her feet touched the ground, though, his hand remained on her back, and she immediately threw her arms around him. She was crying and laughing at the same time.

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss, I'm so glad you're okaaaaaayyy..."

He found himself hugging her back lightly, and when he finally released her, the loss of her warmth made the cool breeze that was blowing in from the ocean just a little bit colder.

"You _are_ okay, right?" she asked, looking up at him with her large blue eyes.

"No," he answered truthfully, looking out at the changing rainbow of colors that was dancing across the ocean. This was why he lived next to the beach. Just the sight and sound had a way of calming and soothing him that nothing else did... No, that wasn't entirely true. Turning his gaze back to his friend, he realized that something else held the same power as well. "But I will be," he continued with a gentle smile.

They leaned against the railing, watching the bikers, skaters, and joggers on the trail at the beach below. They spent several minutes in comfortable silence, and then Zelgadiss turned to look at her face. She was biting her lower lip, and at the corner of her eyes, he could see tears welling up and silently disappearing. How could he be so insensitive?

"How about you?" He caught her chin with his hand and turned her face towards him.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and with a shaky nod, she tried to look away, but he placed his hands on her shoulders and physically turned her to face him.

"Amelia, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss, I can't..." Her mouth worked wordlessly, and she dropped her gaze to her feet. "I was so worried about you. When I got here, the standoff was all over the news, I couldn't help but watch." She hugged her arms around herself and stared out at the last sliver of sun as it sank behind the darkening ocean. "After it was over, I waited and waited, but I knew you were coming home, so I wasn't that worried anymore. And then... Then an hour ago they displayed the identity of the boy."

Was she...? 

"He was one of my friends, Mister Zelgadiss."

Shit. He thought that he was okay with it. He thought that he could deal. He thought that…

"I'm… I'm so sorry… I… I didn't…" he stammered. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. I… I tried everything I could… I just… I couldn't… I couldn't save him."

Her slender arms wrapped around him again as she buried her face in his chest and cried. Her hands pressed tightly against his back, and he realized that she wasn't just seeking comfort, but offering it as well. He found himself burying his face into her hair, crying silently along with her. Crying about the fate of a boy who was a murderer. He shouldn't feel this way. He should be glad that he didn't have to make the kill shot, and that the kid killed himself, but he wasn't. In fact, he felt _worse_ than if he had done it himself. When was the last time he allowed himself to cry? He was supposed to be a heartless…

He pulled away from Amelia gently, and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. Without having to say a word, they walked back to the comfort of the house. Upon entering, Zelgadiss disappeared straightaway into the kitchen to not only make some tea for them both, but to also get his head on straight. 

Maybe this was all too much stress for him. He just needed to keep some distance from her. That was it. He should bring her home after their tea. This girl was starting to break down all the walls he had built up to protect himself from the world. He was an unfeeling, selfish person. She didn't need someone like him to screw up her life…

"I met Wen in Anderson Junior Correctional Facility when I was twelve, a week after Gracia's graduation party." Amelia was leaning in the doorway of the kitchen, her eyes focused on the floor, but it was clear that she was looking into her past. 

_Anderson?_ Juvenile hall?

Pushing past his initial shock, Zelgadiss led her into the dining room, pulled out a chair for her, and placed her mug on the table. Taking a seat across from her, he waited while she lowered herself into the chair. She stared into the amber liquid for several quiet moments, gathering her thoughts and her courage.

Amelia finally took a deep breath and began her story.

***************************

A/N: *ducks flying objects* I think it would be emotional overload to pack one chapter with so much angst, so I had to stop it here. The next chapter will probably take a little longer than usual to get out, but I want to get everything the way I need it to be. I'm still trying to figure out a couple of things, but it won't take long. I promise! By the way, I forgot to send out a very, **_very_** special thank you to everyone who put me over 100 reviews (**Cookie** has the distinct honor of being the 100th reviewer!) *hugs* to you all!!! ^_^*

And again, special thanks go out to: **Ichiban Victory** (New reviewer! Oh, don't feel bad. I'm fairly notorious for reading so many great fics and not reviewing. *Bad, J.Rhaye!* It's just good to know that you've been reading and that you enjoy it! And of course, AU fics give authors the opportunity to tweak things, but I hope the things I tweaked make sense in this fic's world. And we'll get to find out about Ame _real_ soon. ^_^), **Cookie** (I actually had someone else in mind for the feud, but decided on Alto/Baritone because they were just soooo over the top. Of course, we know that K & M aren't exactly what they seem, but it's a good thing Zel's so perceptive, even if he's second-guessing himself.), **Aisha C** (Ah, the games we play to screw with our guy friends… I hope you thought that Zel was a little cooler with this chapter, and I really hope you liked the end! ~_^), **Treefairy** (Thanks! It's so nice to know my writing's as addictive as the stories that _I'm_ addicted to. Oooh, I feel like a dealer… of a good 'drug': Reading!!! ^_^), **Otaku M-Chan** (Oh, it's okay, as long as you're reading and enjoying, I'm happy! Just drop a review when you can. And, am I leaving you hanging again? Sorry… -_-;;), **Kaeru Shisho** (Poor Zel. He's so cautious and protective, yet doesn't want to appear that way. And he's so far up the river of denial… He doesn't see that a good healthy relationship might actually be _good_ for him. Oh well. Angst is fun… Zel's driving was actually part of his training, but he just happened to be _very_ good at it. As a side note, I wrote this chapter before I went on my trip, but while we were on Oahu, I happened to see a Mustang police car! Go figure! And I hope you enjoyed Zel in full sniper mode. ^___^), **eedoe** (Thank you! This chapter wasn't too happy, and there will be repercussions because of it, but we'll see how the characters handle the consequences. Heh. I'm glad you picked up on Zel's insistence about her going to _his_ house, but until it's time for it to be revealed, that's a secret! ^_^ Thank you!), **Pogo** (For now, Alto/Baritone will be a one-shot thing, but they might make a re-appearance much later down the line. And as for cars, it's not a hobby now, but I'm hoping to make it one when I'm rich and can afford to actually buy and restore a classic car… *sigh* But as much as I like cars, I really am severely lacking in knowledge, therefore, my brain refuses to simply generalize and I have to do the research. But in the end, her car is a useful plot device and will be important later on. Thanks again! ^_^)

You guys are awesome, so click the button and review!


	20. A Return to Innocence

Disclaimer: Slayers, Cowboy Bebop, and Trigun and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. _Mansfield Park_ was written by Jane Austen. No harm is intended. Please don't sue.

**Warning:** This chapter is going to be an **"R"** rating for content and language: underage drug and alcohol use and profanity. If you are offended by any of these, please do not read this chapter. Also, there will be _major_ OOC-ness in this chapter. You have been warned.

**Chapter 20**

**_A Return to Innocence_**

Amelia took a deep breath and began her story.

"I don't know if my sister ever told you, but that was the day when we both got caught. We had all been drinking, and after a couple of hours, some of the kids began acting stupid. One of them pushed me into the pool, and then fell in after me. I tried to swim up to the surface, but he kept dragging me down. The next thing I remembered, Lina was pulling me out of the pool and Gracia had pulled him out. That's when Daddy found out that Gracia and I used to drink. A lot. She didn't have to go to Anderson because she was legal, and she moved out that month. Daddy shipped me off that week for an entire year."

Zelgadiss regarded her in an entirely different light. The happy, spunky, justice-loving girl seemed to have a past that was more difficult than he had thought or had imagined. The conflict in his mind about Wen was momentarily replaced by curiosity. He suddenly wanted to know more about Amelia.

"You used to drink at that age? But why…?" he began before he could stop himself. 

Her eyes lifted to his face, then returned to the mug of tea. When she spoke next, her voice was strangely untroubled, and it sounded as if she were reading one of the books to the children at story time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Church bells tolled high above them as they walked slowly down the steps of the church. Ringing their low mournful tones, they sounded to Amelia like hollow mocking voices, telling her that her mother was dead and was never coming back.

Her small hand was clenched tightly in her Daddy's strong grip; he held Gracia's hand fast in the other. The three watched the pallbearers carry the highly polished white and silver coffin to the awaiting hearse, bearing it as if it were the most delicate thing in the world. It disappeared into the back of the vehicle, and Philionel led his daughters to the waiting limousine.

The ride to the cemetery was brief, and the one thing Amelia remembered about it was that her hand was hurting from how tight her Daddy was gripping it. However, she was too afraid of releasing him to care if it hurt her. She wasn't going to let go of him _or_ her sister. In her eight-year-old mind, she had decided that she was going to protect them if she could, the way she couldn't protect her mother.

They arrived at the cemetery, a vast rolling green landscape set high upon the hill and dotted with grave markers and tombstones amidst the reproductions of classic artwork and sculpture. Soon, family, friends, and well-wishers quickly surrounded the plot of land that would be her mother's final resting place. Amelia and Gracia sat in their seats on either side of their father, both girls never once letting go of their father's hands. People took their turn at the podium, and each one said a lot of nice things and cried about Victoria Seyruun and how much they loved her. She was a devoted wife and mother, a cheering friend, a loving person. Before long, Phil stood and made his way to the stand to address the crowd.

Amelia became terrified. Her Daddy wasn't supposed to leave her! He told her that he would hold her hand through the whole thing! First her Mommy, and now… where was Daddy going??? She stood to follow.

"Stay here, Tesla," her sister ordered quietly, as she took the younger girl's hand firmly in hers, and pulled her back down to her seat. Amelia clutched Gracia's hand with both of hers, biting her lip and desperately hoping that her sister wouldn't leave her as well. "Daddy's going to talk right now. He'll be back soon."

Her attention was commanded when Phil began to speak, not in his usual booming voice, but a wavering, feeble croak. Amelia had never seen her Daddy, her strong, brave Daddy, cry until that moment. He had a speech prepared, and even had it spread out in front of him, but his tears clouded his vision and choked the words in his throat. He looked like a broken man, standing there, gripping the sides of the podium for support. Uncle Christopher stepped forward and came to Phil's aid, taking the speech and reading it haltingly for his brother.

Gracia's grip on Amelia loosened, but was replaced by the older girl's arm wrapping protectively about her shoulders. Never one to display much affection, and having always pushed Amelia aside when it didn't suit her, Gracia held her little sister to her as tears finally fell from her eyes.

Amelia fiddled with her mother's pendant with one hand and clenched Gracia's hand with the other, as everyone stood and lined up to pay their last respects to her Mommy. Her Daddy reappeared, taking both girls' hands in his, once again, as they watched the people come up to lay flowers atop the coffin. Beth and Jordan were there as well, and Amelia only vaguely remembered that it was Jordan who held her free hand as they all watched the crowd slowly disperse. The coffin was gently lowered into the ground, and the family tossed perfect white roses atop the lid before leaving.

Amelia had not cried once.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

She awoke that night, the cruel and crushing reality finally crashing down on her. Her mother was alone out there in the cold wet ground. _Dead._ No more bedtime stories. No more smiles. No more hugs. No more kisses. No more love. 

Her Mommy wasn't coming home ever again.

Amelia screamed.

Gracia was there before Phil stumbled in, with his robe half on and backwards, but Amelia was already in hysterics. She clawed at anything around her, throwing whatever her hands landed upon and slamming her head repeatedly against her pillows. Gracia stared, immobilized by the sight of her sister acting so uncontrollable. She didn't know what to do, but Phil immediately went to her bed.

"Mommy! Mommy!!! I want my Mommy!" Amelia sobbed, desperate for someone to tell her that it was a joke, and for her beloved mother to walk in the room and soothe her terror. The tears wouldn't stop, and her body kept thrashing around, yet somehow, Phil still managed to gently envelop her within his massive embrace. Gracia was there, too, finally plucking up the courage to hold her hand and hum a tune their mother used to sing all the time around the house. Amelia felt the panic slowly ease out of her until her body was limp and exhausted from her tantrum.

It seemed as if the tears would never stop, but her Daddy and her sister stayed with her that night until they did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amelia stopped for a moment, and Zel thought that she decided against telling him the rest. Back in high school, he had heard that Naga's mom had passed away, and had even heard a rumor that she had been murdered, but he never believed the idle gossip, and he hadn't questioned Naga about it. Beyond that, he had just accepted it as fact that their mother had died. He never once thought about how it must have affected both girls.

"I've finished my tea," his friend said dully, looking into her mug, and Zel saw that her eyes had lost their normal shine as well. Her hand was at her throat, fiddling with her pendant.

_Take her home when she's finished with her tea…_

"Would you like some more?" he asked instead. 

"Yes, please, Mister Zelgadiss."

He returned to the kitchen and made her the peach-raspberry blend that she liked so much. Maybe she'd cheer up with some cookies or something else to eat… Something to eat… Damn.

Suddenly remembering the burger he had bought her, he rushed back into the living room and grabbed the bag, quickly stowing his gun away in the table drawer. Amelia merely watched him, somewhat curious as to what he was doing. Her gaze remained on the side table for a moment before returning to Zelgadiss.

"I completely forgot about your dinner. I got you a hamburger earlier," he said, placing the bag before her and fetching her tea.

"Oh. Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss."

She ate the burger gratefully, the way it was, although Zel had offered to heat it up for her. Making another mug of tea for himself, he stood in the kitchen, staring at his reflection in the window. His scarred visage stared back at him, mocking his weakening heart.

_You should have just brought her home. She's breaking you down. You're supposed to keep everyone away to keep yourself solid. To keep yourself sane…_

Amelia said that a person needed a good support group around him to stay sane. She's been the best support he's had in a long time.

_But how could anything, or anyone, see this face and want to know the person behind it?_

To Amelia, the way he looked never mattered. It was just the way she was. She treated _all_ her friends this way, whether or not they were close or mere acquaintances.

_"Do you know where Amelia went to school before she went to North? If she ever decides to tell you that story, then you'll know that she thinks you're someone special. If not, then you're off the hook."_

Val's words came back to haunt him. Well, she still hadn't told him much about Anderson, but the question was: would he let her tell him? A part of him wanted to know as much as he could about her, but the rational part kept yelling at him to bring her home. Then, she wouldn't be able to tell him, and he could push her back into that space where he kept all his other friends. No emotions necessary.

He had just made up his mind about bringing her home when he heard sniffling in the dining room.

_Don't look at her! Don't turn around!_

Asshole.

Zel returned to the dining room with a box of tissues, but instead of returning to his seat across from Amelia, he pulled out a chair next to her and sat down, facing her. His hands were clasped before him, his elbows resting on his knees.

"You know, you don't have to tell me all this if you…"

"Nonsense, Mister Zelgadiss," she interrupted, smiling just a little. "It's just that I haven't thought about this in such a long time. I don't want to remember a lot of things, but I don't want to forget, too, if you can understand that."

"A little." He smirked, despite his earlier internal conflict. 

She took a cleansing breath as she dabbed at her eyes.

"I guess Daddy thought that Gracia and I needed to see a psychiatrist to help deal with Mommy's… death. We went to a few sessions, and after a while, weekly sessions became monthly sessions until we stopped going altogether. It's amazing what you can get out of, if you tell someone what they want to hear…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So they had gone to the doctor for a grand total of six months, in which time Amelia's night terrors lessened until they were all but gone. It probably would have taken less time, but Gracia had tried to run away from home, not once or twice, but four times in two months. 

The first time, the friend she ran to ratted her out, and Phil picked her up that night. Amelia was frightened when her sister disappeared, and when she returned, Amelia wanted to sleep in her sister's room, but Gracia shunned her and locked the door. 

The second time Gracia ran away was the longest she was gone. Amelia had another panic attack the first night, and had succeeded in giving Phil a black eye in her thrashings. After three days, the older girl had made it all the way to the outskirts of Saillune, but the diner where she was eating had a television, and they all saw the broadcast of the missing teen. She was promptly carted home and sent to counseling. When she came home, she locked herself in her room yet again.

That night, Amelia woke up from a nightmare about seeing her sister die in front of her. In a panic, she went to her room and picked the lock, an easy thing to do having lived there all her life. Gracia would probably kill her, but she _needed_ to see with her own two eyes that her big sister was okay. Amelia had this vague childish notion that she could protect her, but had no way of knowing how to go about it. 

She found Gracia sprawled on the floor, drooling on the carpet, with a bottle of vodka still clutched in her hand. Amelia helped her into her bed, and then looked around for a place to hide the liquor so her big sister wouldn't get in trouble. Before hiding it behind the nightstand, though, the thought of going back to sleep on her own scared her. Amelia looked at the bottle, and then at her sister. That decided it for her. She sniffed the clear liquid and wrinkled her nose. It smelled awful. Gathering up her courage, Amelia took a huge gulp of vodka, and replaced the cap, coughing violently and wiping at her tearing eyes.

"How can you drink this stuff, Gracia?" she asked her sister's prone form. "It tastes like bad medicine."

After hiding the bottle, Amelia returned to her room, brushed her teeth, and fell asleep easily that night. She slept without dreams.

Gracia figured it out right away, but instead of getting angry with her, she struck a deal. As long as they both covered for each other, they had an understanding. Amelia was still against her running away, but her sister refused to give up. The third time she ran, she made it down the street before the police picked her up, and by the fourth time, everyone on the block was on alert, and their neighbor five doors down dragged her home.

Never knowing if her sister would leave again, maybe for the last time, Amelia explained to Gracia that they were still going to the psychiatrist because of her. Agreeing that they would get out of counseling by working together, her sister promised not to try to flee again. Sure enough, the doctor saw Gracia calm down, and was impressed that the girls began to cling to one another for support. They sent the doctor all the encouraging signs of acceptance and closure. He still insisted on seeing them for a couple of more months, but when appointments were scheduled days, even weeks, in advance, it was easy for the girls to clean up and hide what they didn't want anyone to know.

Phil, dealing with his wife's death his own way, by burying himself in his work, was oblivious to it all. Over the next couple of years, Amelia kept her grades up, and spent as much time during the day with her Daddy as she could, learning about justice and truth. But whenever she couldn't go to sleep or whenever she awoke from another vivid nightmare about her mother's death, despite all the lessons about right and wrong, Amelia would have a drink to help herself go to sleep. 

She gave her sister her allowance to get the alcohol from who knew where, and both girls always insisted on keeping their own rooms clean and doing their own laundry, just to help out and give Beth a rest for all her hard work. At least, that was the reason they gave, just so the housekeeper wouldn't go into their rooms. By the time Amelia was ten, she drank when her sister drank, and she soon learned to hide it better at Gracia's expense.

The elder sister always had a mind of her own, and her grades had slipped from A's and B's to barely scraping by with C's and D's with all the partying she was doing. Phil and Beth were keeping a wary eye on Gracia, and Amelia was assumed to be the "good child." Knowing this, Gracia soon bribed Amelia into covering for her, sometimes on more than just parties and booze runs. A few times, Gracia went off with a few friends to smoke pot in the apartment above the garage, and it was Amelia's job to run interference and keep the adults and Jordan occupied. She never joined Gracia and her friends, drawing a line between alcohol and drugs. Somewhere, deep in the recesses of her mind, though, she knew that both were wrong.

At sixteen, Gracia met Lina at a party. The redhead was a wild, brash thing who, although she was flatter than a washboard, tended to attract more attention than the buxom dark-haired beauty. At first a little insulted, she quickly discovered Lina's hot button, and pressed it often, nagging at the petite girl about her lack of breasts. Lina, never one to be outdone, punished her severely and often. They settled a truce over a couple of beers, and became drinking buddies at the local parties. Lina first met Amelia when she came to visit Naga, and though they were closer in age, Lina treated the younger girl the way Naga did – with affectionate indifference. On subsequent visits, she and Amelia would talk briefly, but the older girls never stayed long. They were usually out the window after dinner.

Left at home whenever they went out, Amelia took to drinking by herself, always _just_ enough to get her to sleep, never realizing that each time, it took just a _little_ bit more to put her to sleep than the last. Before long, it had become a nightly ritual for the girl, and she had passed Gracia, who only had her binges at parties. Amelia occasionally drank herself into the toilet whenever life didn't exactly go her way, but those occurrences were rare.

Her sister, in turn, had all but stopped drinking at home when threatened with community college if she didn't bring up her grades. She still drank with her sister every now and again, but that was becoming a rare occurrence. Gracia had also brought Zelgadiss home that year to work on the art project, and a few times over the next couple of years, she had closed the door on Amelia's face when she was on the phone with "Zel." 

The girls were drifting apart as they got older, and the way Amelia dealt with it was by drinking more. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I really think you were a good influence on her, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia said quietly, glancing up at him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she still thought about his feelings for her sister, and she suddenly wondered if she had said anything to give him the wrong idea about Gracia.

"I'm not trying to say that it was my sister's fault that I started drinking," she amended, trying to backpedal. "And I'm not really sure how _she_ started drinking. But, after my Mommy… I needed someone to cling to. I've thought about how my life _would_ have been if Gracia had succeeded in running away, but I think that it would have been one more thing that I wouldn't have been able to handle on my own." 

She began to fiddle with her pendant again, and her eyes wandered to stare at the swirls in the wooden tabletop.

"I don't know. Maybe I would have clung to Daddy more, and maybe I could have been a better person on the outside, doing everything the right and just way. Maybe I wouldn't have started drinking and I wouldn't have gotten into trouble, but I think that on the inside, there would have been yet another hollow space in my heart for me to fill. Another family member I'd have lost."

Her face had that wistful expression that she sometimes got, perhaps a longing for another life or another past, without all the sadness and pain, but it was gone before he could say anything reassuring.

"But that's not how it happened, so there you have it. Gracia got her grades up, and she was able to get into Devereaux. I still think you had a lot to do with it," Amelia finished, looking at him with a little smile.

Zel studied her face. There was something about her voice, but he couldn't place it. She appeared to be fine, but he had been wrong before.

"I really don't think so. After the art project, we only spoke a few times over the next couple of years, and even then, never more than half an hour at the most. To be honest with you, I don't know if I even remember what we talked about…" he mentioned, probably more to himself than his companion.

"Hn." Amelia watched Zelgadiss as he thought about her sister, looking for any sign of fondness or… anything. His gaze refocused, and he was suddenly regarding her expectantly. "Oh. Uh, I don't really know. She never really told me anything…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gracia's graduation party was almost ruined when Phil declared that he would be staying home, but, as usual, the day was saved when Amelia pulled him and Beth and Jordan inside the house to play a quiet board game. Lina showed up somewhere along the line, as well as dozens of other people. While she was letting people in, Amelia happened to catch sight of a bottle of tequila in one of the guest's bags, and the thirst hit her hard.

It had been a week since she had a drink, and it was getting more and more difficult to deal with the headaches and the unsteady hands. Beth was beginning to wonder if she was sick since she kept mentioning that she was cold and had a headache for a week. Gracia had been so busy with Prom and graduation that she had neglected to get her sister their alcohol. Amelia had even thought to sneak into her father's study and raid the decanters there, but knew better than that. She hadn't been drinking for the last five years just to get caught now. She bided her time until the adults turned in for an early night before swiping the bottle of tequila and finding a nice secluded corner outside.

Amelia had drunk a third of the bottle by the time someone found her. The party was in full swing when one of Gracia's friends dragged Amelia from her hiding place. 

"This little thief took my tequila! My good tequila!"

"Jason, leave her alone," Gracia ordered over her shoulder, casting only an annoyed look at her sister. She resumed talking with Lina.

"No! Who are you, anyway?" he yelled at Amelia, who was just inches in front of him. If Amelia thought that she was drunk, he must have been worse off than she was.

"I _live_ here, jackass. Who the hell're you?"

"Hey, listen bitch." Push. "You need to learn some respect." Push. "Shut. Your. Mouth." Push.

Amelia had grabbed his shirt and was about to knee him in the groin when he shoved her that last time. She lost her balance and fell into the pool, dragging the taller kid along with her. Instinct took over, and she was able to take a breath before she went under, but strong arms suddenly wrapped around her middle, squeezing the air from her lungs. She kicked out, trying to free herself, but Jason had a death grip on her. He wasn't letting go, and she needed a breath.

The last thing she remembered was the water rushing into her lungs, burning and choking. Her arms and legs felt so heavy and didn't seem to want to work. Blackness crept in around the corners of her vision. 

_I can't breathe…_

When Amelia came to, Gracia was screaming at her, her ruined makeup running in streaks down her cheeks as she sat over Jason who was glaring at the younger sister. Everyone at the party was standing around them, faces a mix of concern and contempt. 

"You just had to ruin it, didn't you, Tes? You just couldn't let me have _my_ day! Why did you have to go and do something so stupid?"

"Leave her alone, Naga," a quiet, but dangerous voice growled somewhere nearby, above her, in fact. Amelia turned her eyes to the source and wet red hair dripped water onto her face. Lina placed a surprisingly gentle hand on Amelia's arm. "Your sister could have drowned."

Gracia's face became sober as she realized that she had been so close to losing someone else that she cared about. Her face betrayed her worry, but before she could check if her sister was okay, Phil appeared, having heard the commotion.

His face was a mask of surprise and anger. In a booming voice, he commanded, "No one leaves!" and everyone froze.

After checking on the two who had almost drowned, he and Beth called each kid's parents to have them pick up their child, much to the displeasure of the teens who had been drinking. He apologized profusely to the parents for not knowing that there was alcohol at the party, and watched each one get reamed for either underage drinking or contributing to underage drinking. Finally, after checking and double-checking with Jason's parents that he did not need to see a doctor, he gave them his card and watched all them drive away, knowing that he might have to deal with threats of law suits and even the possibility of being disbarred. 

When everyone had left, and only the family remained, Phil pulled his two daughters into a tight embrace, holding their hands as he did five years before. 

"Why didn't I see it?" he wondered aloud, crying over having pushed his girls away and into the grips of a horrible habit. Amelia was horrified that she was the cause of her father's tears, and she assured, swore, promised him that she wouldn't drink anymore, that she would wait until she was eighteen. That did not give him hope. Even now, his baby girl was still thinking about the next time she would be able to drink. She hadn't even told him why she started in the first place.

He tried not to think that it was Gracia's fault. He tried to contain his emotions, but Phil was a man who displayed his emotions on his sleeve. Even without words, he still portrayed to his eldest daughter his intense displeasure at her actions, and from the way he held Amelia protectively away from her, she believed that he blamed her for everything. She did not know that Phil only blamed himself.

Lina was placed in Luna's hands after that incident for discipline training, and hadn't been seen for the rest of the summer. When she returned, she no longer had a desire to party or drink until she became legal. Gracia moved out that month to an apartment all the way in Atlas City, and had never returned, except on special occasions, and only for brief visits. She had finally been able to run away legally.

Amelia was never formally charged when Jason's parents decided to sue Phil, but she was immediately sent to Anderson Junior Correctional Facility to participate in their Youth Center Program.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Can I have a glass of water please, Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked, trying to ignore her suddenly dry throat.

"Of course." Before he could do anything, she got up and went to the kitchen herself. Apparently, she had made herself at home while he was gone.

Amelia filled a glass with ice and water from the refrigerator and gulped it down. It was taking a lot out of her to tell her story, and she wondered if she had the energy for the rest of her tale. It surprised her that she could speak of those early events with such a detached feeling, but in remembering everything that happened to her, she was beginning to relive the same jumble of emotions. Maybe it was time to go home. 

But she hadn't gotten to Wen yet.

Of course, she hadn't thought of it at the time; she was just answering a question that Zelgadiss had asked her. She hadn't meant to go that far back, but before talking about her time in Anderson, he would need to understand the _why_. Her mother's death had been an obvious turning point in her life, but she was beyond wishing that things had been different. Everything that happened, she knew, happened for a reason. Not necessarily good, not necessarily bad, the events of her life shaped her into the person she was today.

After placing her empty glass in the sink, she took a deep breath and returned to find Zelgadiss waiting for her in the living room. He was watching her expectantly, clearly wanting her to continue her story, and she felt a little better. Considering everything she had told him, he still wanted to know more. A small flutter in her chest made her smile, and she sat down on the couch to continue her story.

*************************

A/N: This was a very difficult chapter to write, notwithstanding my discovery of how painful and debilitating migraines can be, and how little colds can develop into pneumonia in various members of a family unit. It seems that life's dealt me a few Lemons and I'm still trying to remember how to make Lemonade. A google apologies to everyone for taking so long, and hopefully, I can get back on track. I can't guarantee weekly updates at this time, but I'll try my best to get the next chapter out soon. (I had to cut this one in half – it was "too heavy" as my beta put it. -_-;;) *hugs* to everyone who's stuck with me through this. I hope you enjoyed!

[By the way, this, by no means, advocates underage drinking. In researching, I found the following sites extremely helpful: www.probation.saccounty.net, www.udetc.org, and www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.]

Once again, a very special set of thanks to everyone who's reviewed! You guys all rock! *hugs!* **Scatter** (Thank you! I'm sorry to make you wait. You'll find out more next time, and we'll get to see some fun interactions, too!), **Ichiban Victory** (Yup, you hit the nail on the head with that one! Unfortunately, Amelia's past isn't that uncommon, as I've discovered. Too many kids nowadays are drinking and smoking and doing drugs earlier – or at least are being discovered earlier. The next chapter will be angst-filled as well, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. ^_^), **Treefairy** (I'm so glad you liked the last chapter. You also remembered what Val had said to Zel! *smirks* Poor guy. He's not ready for what I've got in mind for him.  ~_^ Hope you didn't go through bad withdrawals. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon for your next fix.), **Aisha C** (Thank you! I'm not used to 'action' scenes, and where the last chapter was more physically tiring, this one and the next will be more emotionally tiring. I hope you enjoyed this one as well!), **eedoe** (Thanks a bunch! It didn't occur to me about the bar's name until you mentioned it. *giggles* I can see it now: Seamus is the bartender and then suddenly, the lights go up on the stage, the music blares, and Zel and Gourry jump up on stage and shake their groove thing! ^_^;; And poor Zel. He's really in for it now!), **Kaeru Shisho** (Thank you. I never know if the action sequences I write are any good, but as I keep writing, they get easier to write. Zel's slowly letting Amelia in, but we'll see how he reacts to it when he discovers that she's really there. ^_^ And as for Amelia, her past in the anime is mentioned and hinted at, but we never get to see more of how she's dealt with the loss of her mother and the internal intrigue. I hope I do 'my' Amelia's past justice.), **Otaku M-chan** (I'm sorry it was more than a week. I'll try my best to get back to regular updates, but it will take a while. Thanks for sticking with me!), **Valk** (No, please keep up the shameless flattery. I love it! Just kidding. I'm glad you enjoyed it!), **Raven Summersong** (Thanks! Zel's just too cool for words, but after all is said and done, he's a regular person after all. Amelia's showing him that people can rely on each other, and that everyone has a story. And you're right. It may not be safe, but it is good for him. ^_^), **Pogo** (Thanks so much. I know. It's never a good place to stop, as with this chapter, especially when stuff's finally happening, but I don't want an angst-overload. Hopefully, I'll get the next chappie out soon so I don't keep you and everyone waiting. ^_^), **katy** (I'm so glad you're really enjoying! And I wouldn't do that to my characters… yet. *grins evilly* Just kidding. And don't worry. I'll keep writing as long as there's a story to tell. ^_^), **SithKnight-Galen** (Your words really moved me, and it's been so tough for me to let this story go untouched for as long as I did, knowing I've got readers like you. Zangy as Lando… *grins* I don't think I can see it any other way, now. ^_^ I hope you'll continue to enjoy!), **Mariela** (It's a good thing I know you! *smirks* I'm really glad you like it, and just so we can remain friends, I'll try to get the next chapter out really soon. ~_^), **Demeter1** (New reviewer! I'm happy you're enjoying it! Xel/Fil is always fun, and Xelloss will have to jump through a few hoops to win favor with Filia. Will he do it? That's a secret! ~_^), **Phizzy-chan** (Another new reviewer! Xel/Ame was a necessary evil, since it got Zel more active into her life, so it wasn't all that bad. Of course, now that Zel's in the picture, I wonder what's going to happen. Hmm… Thanks, and Amelia's party should be _really_ fun. I look forward to it as well. ^_^)  *hugs* again to everyone!

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	21. There, and Back Again

Disclaimer: Slayers, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. Please don't sue.

**Warning:** This chapter is going to be an **"R"** rating for content and language: underage drug and alcohol use and profanity. If you are offended by any of these, please do not read this chapter. Also, there will be _major_ OOC-ness in this chapter. You have been warned.

**Chapter 21**

**_There, and Back Again_**

Amelia sat on the bus, extremely nervous and fidgety, and though she had been closely scrutinized at home, the only way she had been able to sleep the night before was by taking a big swig of nighttime cold syrup (though she was hardly sick.) Her father had dropped her off at the Juvenile Hall to be bussed to the Center, a minimum-security facility. She had imagined that she would be yelled at and called all sorts of names by several scary-looking people, but that was not the case. Although the next several hours were a blur of commands and answers of "Yes, sir" or "Yes, ma'am," no one really raised their voice. They had given her standard uniforms: five sets of pants and shirts and five sets of shorts and t-shirts. They also gave her boots and a toiletry set before directing her onto a bus.

There were four other kids on the bus with her, and each one appeared as unsavory as the next. They eyed her with curiosity, the way she watched them, but otherwise they did nothing to her. One in particular, however, observed her with an unnerving gaze. He had light green hair and a scarred face, but she felt as if his golden eyes were boring a hole into her skull. Either that, or she was going through alcohol withdrawals again.

Halfway between Saillune and Atlas City, in the middle of a scrub desert, the bus stopped at the Youth Center Campus, a series of ten long one-story buildings behind a tall fence with a security kiosk and gate as the only point of entry. The vehicle pulled up to the first building and parked, opening its door with a hiss, and allowing a woman with a clipboard to step onto the bus.

She wasn't beautiful, but she was very pretty, with long straight black hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. Dressed simply in a white t-shirt and jeans, she had a kind, yet no-nonsense air about her. When she opened her mouth to speak, Amelia was instantly taken in by her gentle voice.

"I'm Officer Saverem, and I'm one of the directors here at the Center. When I call your name, please step forward with your belongings and wait outside in a line. It's hot today, so we'll try to get you inside before you all melt." Everyone sat up and began scooping up their meager items when she called out, "Let's start with the girls: Donohoe, Rebecca." 

A skinny girl with stringy black hair who was sitting in the front, stood up and pushed past the woman without a word, but Officer Saverem only smiled and looked back at her clipboard. Amelia knew she was next since there were only two girls on the bus to begin with. She was already standing when the woman said, "Seyruun, Amelia."

Amelia took two steps down the aisle when one of the boys who she passed stuck a foot out, and she tripped, falling forward until two wiry arms caught her. She looked up, and to her dismay, found herself looking into a pair of golden eyes. His hands were gripping her arms tightly, and she was about to back away from him when he did something quick and unexpected.

He smelled her.

Or sniffed, to be more exact. She was about to push him back, punch him, anything, when a strong hand tightened around his wrist, forcing him to let go.

"Val, this is your second time here. You know the rules. I could give you an hour for that," officer Saverem whispered to him.

He released Amelia's arms and then shrugged his shoulders. "What? I was just making sure she didn't fall down. Besides, we're not out of the bus yet."

His smirk was self-assured and had a degree of conceit to it, and the woman frowned. "Just because people think I'm easy doesn't mean that I am, Gaav. Seyruun, outside. Line up next to Donohoe. Gaav, you'll be standing with the girls today since you enjoy their company. On your feet now!"

This sudden change in character took the rest of the bus by surprise, and when she called the other two kids, they jumped to attention and were off the bus in a second. 

The sun was high overhead, beating down on the five kids and one woman as the bus drove away. Sweat began to bead down their temples and down their backs at the stifling heat, and Amelia's eyes sought out any shade in the area. Nothing. The taller green-haired kid, Val, slouched next to her, and she silently wished that the officer wouldn't make him stand with her. He smelled bad and he was still eyeballing her. Of course, Rebecca smelled bad as well, so she guessed it was because he was staring at her that made her so irritated.

"Alright, listen up," the woman said in a clear and forceful voice. "Welcome to Anderson Junior Correctional Facility. Each of you is here because you got into a bit of trouble, and it is up to us to 'retrain' or 'rehabilitate' you, whichever one of those words applies to your situation. If you're here, then count yourselves lucky. You could be over there."

She pointed to their right. Through the tall fence, they could see another set of buildings farther down the road, but those were behind a huge concrete and chain-link enclosure topped with barbed wire. Several armed guards were posted in the watchtowers and along the walls.

"_That_, ladies and gentlemen, is what you probably know as 'The Big House.' We like to think of it here as 'inspiration.' _That_ is where we don't want you to end up. Now, I wanted this to be a relatively quiet day, but we're going straight to work this afternoon, thanks to Val, here, who so enjoys the girls' company that he'll be in their group for the week. I'm going to bring you inside, where you will be matriculated into Anderson, and shown your room, the lavatories, the classrooms, the lunchroom, and the common areas. Then we will meet in the center courtyard at three o'clock."

The drastic drop in temperature when they all stepped into the building was a relief to the overheated teens, and after several minutes, their sour moods returned to their complacent natures. After filling out and signing some more papers, the girls followed one of the women, and the boys followed one of the men to their respective buildings. Since there weren't many girls at the center at that time, each girl was able to have her own room. Amelia stepped into the sparse room with a bunk bed on one wall and two desks on the other. Two thin closets separated the desks, and Amelia set her clothes inside the right-hand closet, and placed her lone book on the desk closer to the barred window.

_Mansfield Park_ was not her favorite book, by any means, but it hit a chord with her as she was pouring through the books available for purchase in the library. It was well worn, and the pages were dog-eared, but it appeared as if many people enjoyed it. She had read it earlier that year, but it hadn't struck her as extraordinary. The moment her father had told her that she was going away for a time, her mind went back to how Fanny must have felt when her mother told her she was going away for a time, but she refused to give that feeling a word just yet.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the woman brought her back to the group, and the teens were given a tour of the facility. After eating with the other inmates, they waited in the common room for Officer Saverem's return. Each kid sat in a different chair, not wanting to speak with one another. Amelia stared out of the window and tried to wrap her head around the fact that this would be her home for the next year.

True to her word, when Officer Saverem returned, she made everyone begin work outside. After a warning to everyone of dehydration and sunburn, each kid was forced to wear sunscreen and a large floppy hat, which made them look absolutely absurd, and they were forced to take breaks every fifteen minutes to drink lukewarm water. The five kids learned how to till a patch of dirt in the garden area, and they learned that the scorching desert heat really did dry a person out in less than half an hour while they were working. Rebecca and Cory, the boy who tripped Amelia on the bus, were stupid enough not to take the advice; Cory passed out from heat exhaustion, and Rebecca got bad sunburn. And the whole time, Val silently worked and watched Amelia.

They returned to the safety of the buildings when they brought the two 'victims' to the infirmary, and Amelia returned to her wing exhausted and irritated. When she met her wing mates, she was not in a particularly good mood. That woman was a taskmaster, and if it hadn't been for Val's grossness, they wouldn't have had to work so hard so soon. The other girls regarded her with either contempt or pity or apathy, and Amelia couldn't wait to escape to her room at the end of the day. After eating apart from the others in the dining room, Amelia joined the girls in the community showers, and then finally all the kids were ordered back to their rooms at the end of the day.

Amelia sat at the edge of her bed in her t-shirt and shorts, staring at the book in her hands. That all-too-familiar tightening in her skull was making reading unbearable; the words seemed to merge into each other before blurring and then sharpening drastically, sending a stabbing pain into her brain. Closing her book, she curled up around it on the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. Someone closed a door down the hall, and she jumped at the sudden noise; it sounded as if it was slamming inside of her head. Laying her head on her pillow, she finally let the tears run. She was shaking, her head was in such intense pain, and she was hundreds of miles away from home. Alone.

What she would give for a drink right now. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amelia soon discovered that life at Anderson was not as scary as she thought, but it was definitely more difficult than she could imagine. The other girls kept to themselves as much as they could; Amelia defended herself well against the one or two who bothered her. They were immediately sent to the floor and rapped a couple of times on the back of the head for good measure. A black eye here and there was well worth it to Amelia to put those girls in the infirmary, but in doing so, she found herself in solitary confinement as a result. 

The first time she had been sent to solitary, it had been a day after she had arrived at the Center. She got into a fight over something stupid; she had sat in someone else's seat. Being alone in that locked room brought back too many bad memories, and that, coupled with her alcohol withdrawals, was too much to handle. Her nightmares were not to be subdued, and the terror that she had so long suppressed began to push its way to the surface. Amelia did not sleep; she could not eat. After being awake for seventy-two hours straight, she finally succumbed to fatigue and fell asleep, only to awaken an hour later, screaming and being held down by two officers before she was sedated.

The management then contacted her father and with his approval, put Amelia on Valium. It helped her to calm down and relax, but she still suffered the nightmares, and she soon slipped into depression. Her thirteenth birthday came and went with nothing more than a card from her father, Miss Beth, and Jordan, wishing her a happy birthday, and promising to visit her by the end of the month.

That was the worst time for her. If it wasn't bad enough that a whole month had passed with no calls or visits from her father, or anyone for that matter, being further separated from other people while in solitary confinement was unbearable. Her depression increased to the point where she was given anti-depressants as well, and that, coupled with the Valium, made for some interesting mood swings. 

By the end of July, she decided that she could finally give a name to the vast chasm of emptiness she felt all about her. _Abandonment._ Had she done something so horrible that her own beloved father didn't want anything to do with her? What about Beth? What about Gracia?

_What about me?_

"You're the one who sent Paul to the infirmary, huh?"

Amelia, startled out of her reverie, glowered up at the boy who had settled in beside her at the lunch table. She had been pushing her food around her plate with her fork, not paying much attention to anything else around her. Grunting an affirmative, she turned her eyes back to her plate. All the carrots on one side of the plate, all the peas on the other with mashed potatoes down the middle.

"And got into a fight with Cory and Wendy?"

Another grunt.

"I heard that you knocked out Officer Perez when you were in solitary."

Amelia turned her lazy gaze back to the boy and his striking green eyes. Her meds made her complacent, not stupid. "Who the hell are you, and why do I suddenly interest you? You want to get into a fight?"

"No. I've had plenty of that before. I just wanted to thank you for putting those guys back in their place. A bunch of them thought that they could pick on smaller or younger people until they met you. Now, they don't bother us as much."

"So I'm supposed to be your effin' guardian, then?"

"If you're going to swear, then _swear_. What are they going to do to you? Lock you up? Oh, wait, they already have." She shot him a glare, but it fizzled out. She just didn't have the strength for this today. The boy continued, "I just figured you'd appreciate the company, Amelia. Especially since I noticed that no one's come to visit you yet."

He stood to leave, but Amelia caught his sleeve before he could take a step. Still staring at the plate, she mumbled, "I appreciate the thought… what's your name?"

"It's Wen."

"Good to know you, Wen. Have a seat," she muttered half-heartedly, and he sat down while she continued to zone out. Now the peas were forming up into a pyramid, held in place with mashed potato mortar. After several minutes of silence, Amelia finally looked over at him. He was eating his food very quietly and not imposing on her personal space. He seemed a nice enough kid to have approached an unstable girl like her, so she figured she'd give him a chance.

"So who picked on you?" she asked, squashing the pea pyramid with the back of her fork.

Without missing a beat, he answered, "Paul and Wendy. You know how much it sucks for a guy to get beaten up by a girl?"

"I don't know. What do you say we ask Paul?" For the first time that day, she smiled, and Wen returned her smirk. 

They began to talk about silly and small things of no consequence, and Amelia found that having someone around whom she could pass the time with helped to improve her outlook on her current situation. Having a friend helped her to endure this whole thing.

After a couple more weeks, she began to try her hardest to stay out of solitary, knowing that it had been the source of much of her angst. The withdrawal symptoms and the depression became bearable, and Amelia slowly began to adjust to her environment. Rules and structure seemed to do much for her morale, and she attended classes and was able to pay attention and participate. With Wen's help, she was able to interact with some of the other kids there, and even found another that she enjoyed talking with: Rebecca.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Wen had been clean for three months, and was one of my first 'friends' there. Rebecca stuck with me because we came on the same bus and because she saw that I could stick up for myself if I could. Wen was always by himself when I first saw him, and after sitting and talking with him, we found out that we had a lot in common, except he lost _both _of his parents when he was little."

Zelgadiss and Amelia were sitting on his couch, lounging comfortably. Hearing about Amelia's problems in the past made him re-think all the things he had discussed with Naga and all the things he remembered about Amelia. It was a tragic past, he knew, but it was also a fascinating story for him to discover. How did she rise up above all of this to be the perky and sociable young woman that he knew today?

The mention of the boy he couldn't save today brought Zel back to reality, though, and the events of the day bubbled back to the front of his thoughts. Not knowing what to say, he sought to divert the conversation and the intense feeling of guilt that was welling up within him.

"Do you want more tea?"

"Oh. No, I think I've drunk enough tonight. Um, may I use your bathroom, Mister Zelgadiss?" 

"Of course," he nodded, and she found her own way to the bathroom down the hall. 

While she was gone, he busied himself with clearing up their mugs and throwing away the trash before returning to the living room. He had just put away his duffel bag and was about to sit back down on the couch when his eyes caught the clock on the mantel. Eleven o'clock? It couldn't be that late already. Zel sighed. It had been one hell of a day. Two days, actually. He stretched, and was contented when his ribs no longer complained. Had it been just yesterday when Xelloss smacked him around? It felt like a lifetime had passed since then.

"Are you hurting again, Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked, entering the room. 

"No, actually. I was just thinking that it's a wonder that I'm feeling as good as I do."

"I'm glad you're feeling better," she said hollowly, taking her seat at the other end of the couch and nestling herself between the arm and the seat back. She appeared so comfortable, that he didn't want to bring up her going home to that big empty house so she could be alone again. Phil was out of town yet again for the whole weekend, and Beth was still staying at her sister's house while Jordan was recovering. No, he couldn't put her into a solitary confinement after knowing what it did to her.

"Didn't _anyone_ visit you there?" he wondered aloud, and was actually surprised that he had voiced his concern. It did not seem like something Phil would do: leave his youngest daughter in a place like that without seeing her for over a month.

"No. Daddy was busy trying to keep everything under wraps. He sealed my records so no one would know where I was sent, and when anyone asked, he'd tell them I was out of town. Everyone just assumed that he shipped me off to boarding school, so he couldn't really come out there until a lot of the pressure died down. There was an investigation, and they found out that all of the alcohol that night was brought in from the outside, and Daddy was off the hook, but it took a couple of months before he was able to see me."

Her face softened, and she continued, "But someone came out to see me right after my birthday, and I'll never forget how happy I was to see her."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Lina!"

Amelia was so overjoyed to see a familiar face that she tackled the redhead with a tight hug, and if it weren't for Lina's quick reflexes, the two girls would have ended up horizontal and sliding backwards across the highly polished floors. Instead, Lina caught her and patted her awkwardly on the back.

"Wow! What are you doing here? Oh, I know you're here to see me, but why?" Amelia gushed.

Lina pried Amelia's arms from her neck and led the younger girl to a couch that looked out on the garden outside. They sat down, and Lina cast a nervous glance back over shoulder.

"Look," she began in a hushed tone, "I'll be honest with you. Luna made me come here to show me what could happen to me if she didn't 'care' so much." The look of utter devastation on Amelia's face must have touched something vulnerable in Lina's heart, because she melted. "I'm sorry, but that's the truth. But now that I'm here, I'm glad I came! You get many visitors here? I'm sure your dad's here every other weekend…"

"You're the first person who's come." Amelia said so softly that Lina almost kept rambling on. Instead, her jaw dropped open. "Daddy sent a card on my birthday saying they'll come at the end of the month, but I haven't seen them yet."

"They waited a month and a half?" Amelia shrugged, trying to hide the hurt behind a tough exterior. It didn't work. "You've been alone this whole time, and no one's come to see you?"

Oh, just saying it made it difficult to handle. She suddenly threw her arms around Lina's neck again, but this time, the girl was bawling into her hair. They were making a bit of a scene, and one boy seemed to take a keen interest in what was transpiring. Lina glared back at the green-haired kid as she patted Amelia's back, but he merely returned her stare. Sure enough, he wandered over and sat in a nearby chair.

"What's your problem, buddy?" Lina snarled.

"I just love watching two girls comforting each other, especially ones who _smell_ as good as this one."

"What's that supposed to mean, you creep?"

"It means what you think it means, Lina," Amelia said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She sat forward between the two and glared daggers at the boy. "Val here just loves to spend as much time with girls as possible. I think he's hoping to become one through osmosis."

That earned a grunt of laughter from Lina, but Val sat forward and, to both girls' surprise, placed a hand on Amelia's. With a smirk that Lina wanted to smack off of his mug, he murmured, "If that's right, then shouldn't we have membrane to membrane contact?"

Lina locked his wrist and had him on the ground in a submission hold before Amelia could raise her hand to hit him, and they were suddenly swarmed by officers and… Luna. Lina was dragged away by her sister, still threatening Val with bodily harm if he laid another finger on her friend. Val went into solitary for his actions, and although Amelia got extra chores that night, it was worth it. Lina had visited her, but more importantly, she had called her a _friend_.

Visitors became more frequent after that, and the girl couldn't help but think that Lina had something to do with it. Her father was encouraged by how well she was doing, even though she had gotten into trouble, and he apologized for not coming to see her earlier. He even asked her to help him do research for an upcoming case once she was released. Amelia looked forward to being useful again. Beth always told her to keep her head up high, and brought word of Jordan's progress, something the girl worried about more than she had before. After feeling the loss of her sister's presence, it had made her sensitive to how Jordan must have felt when she was sent away.

Even several months later, her sister appeared and apologized for getting her into that mess in the first place. After a session with Gracia and her counselor, they were able to work some of their problems out, and Amelia's nightmares began to lessen in their strength over her. Lina was banned from visiting for six weeks, but she wrote to Amelia constantly, and when she was allowed, she began to visit her once, sometimes twice a month. The two girls were becoming fast friends.

Amelia began to heal, and under the supervision and counseling of Rem Saverem, the officer who had transitioned them from the bus to the Center, she was making remarkable progress, as were several other kids. Rem didn't yell, but she didn't allow anyone to hurt another. She believed in respect for all living things. She taught them that they could learn from their mistakes and live new lives, without the influences that had landed them in the Center in the first place.

Only one person in Amelia's class didn't seem to care for her kind words, and he was just as annoying as ever. At first, it had seemed that her words had an effect on Val, but this was his second time in three years to Anderson, and it hadn't seemed to work the first time. He was sent up for the exact same thing as last time: drugs and assault. He scared most of the other kids, but not Amelia, and she was the one he messed with the most.

Shortly before winter break, where, if the families applied for special furloughs, they could spend two weeks at home, Amelia stayed behind in her math class to finish copying down the formula on the board. She was finally off meds, was sleeping at night, wasn't getting into trouble, and had a renewed sense of purpose. The thought of being a better person after all of this drove her forward, and she took Rem's advice to heart. She was going to learn from her mistakes and make her life better than it was.

Closing her notebook with a relieved sigh, she got up from her seat in the front of the class and turned to leave, when she was met with the same irritating stare that had plagued her for the past six months. Annoyed, she stormed past Val, and shot at him, "Why don't you draw a picture, asshole? It'll last longer." 

_Oh, nice put-down, Amelia, _she thought wryly. Okay, so maybe she wasn't as calm and forgiving a person as she had thought. But the next day, when she repeated her actions and stayed late in class, just so she could finally chew Val out, she marched up to him and caught sight of something before he flipped his notebook closed. He had apparently taken her previous words to heart.

"That was really good," she said simply, her honesty coming out before a scathing remark could. She watched his face for any sign of superiority or challenge, but there was none. For the first time since she had met Val Gaav, he looked embarrassed. Knowing how to be sensitive to people's quirks, she left him alone.

The rest of the week, she found that he no longer stared at her, and he kept to himself during their meals and at free times. He would cast a furtive glance now and again, as if he were gauging her actions, but she only smiled a little when he did. She knew a secret about him that he apparently didn't want anyone to know about. The knowledge was making her giddy, but the part of her that strove to be a 'good girl' kept her from announcing to everyone that the hard-nosed punk was an _artist_. 

A week before Amelia was scheduled to go home, she approached Val at free time, as he sat on the floor with his back against a wall, and she sat down next to him. Several pairs of eyes glanced at the two while the other kids pretended to read or play cards or doze off. The tension between these two was finally coming to a head.

"Whaddya want?" he grumbled under his breath, once again closing his notebook.

"Are you going back home for the holidays?" she asked conversationally, trying to keep her voice low as well.

He was silent for a moment before answering, "No. I'm staying in this shit hole to welcome the fat man and the creepy baby."

Despite herself, Amelia giggled. "Well, if that's your take on Christmas and New Year's, I guess you wouldn't be interested in coming home with me, then." His mouth fell open and stayed that way for several seconds before Amelia reached over and touched his chin. With a smirk, she whispered, "You'll catch flies."

He closed his mouth, but it immediately opened again as he stuttered, "Wh… what… what are you after?"

"Nothing, Val. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be in this 'shit hole' right now, but I am, and I can't think of anyone having to spend the holidays alone in a place like this…"

"I don't need your pity…"

"If it was pity, I'd stay here with you, not give you an invitation to a _friend's_ house." She glanced sideways to see if he noticed the moniker. He was looking at her straight on now, so she continued. "Rebecca's going home, and Wen doesn't celebrate the holidays. I'm not that close with any of the others here. You're the only other one I interact with almost every single day, so I figured it's about time to set aside the gloves and try to be friends. Rem said, 'Sometimes, it takes more effort to fight than to be friends.'"

"That's such a load of bullshit."

"Yeah, but at least I'm trying." She pushed herself to her feet and looked down at him. "I was telling you the truth, Val. About your notebook and the offer. The deadline for the request is the day after tomorrow, so let me know before then so I can tell my father."

At the end of the week, the bus was full of kids who were returning home for the holidays. Amelia stared out of the window until it fogged up with her breath, and then she turned her attention to the boy sitting next to her. Val did not appear happy at all, but by the way he was holding his notebook, she figured it was because she insisted that he bring it… without tearing out any pages. 

He looked at her, the smug expression still on her face, and he shook his head. What the hell was he thinking?

When the bus let off its passengers, Amelia bade farewell to Rebecca, and she led Val to her father who scooped her up in a powerful hug, which she returned in kind. Val regarded the huge man with a degree of reservation, and it turned out to be well founded. He almost crushed the boy's hand as he challenged him with a glare to put so much as a toe out of line. Val understood immediately what kind of madness he had been dropped into.

The drive to her home took longer than he expected, and just when he believed they were nearing their destination, twenty more minutes passed as they wound their way through the maze of this hilly neighborhood. When they finally pulled into the driveway, Val was sure his mouth was hanging open again.

The house was extraordinary, compared to what he was used to, decorated outside and inside with pine, holly, tinsel, ribbon, gold, glitter and a million lights. An enormous tree sat in the foyer beside the stairs, adorned with twinkling lights, silver and blue ribbons, and ornaments; dozens of gorgeously wrapped gifts were piled beneath it. If the decorations were out of a storybook, the meals were from a five star restaurant (not that he'd know what one was like). The house smelled of cinnamon and candy canes, and there was always a fresh plate of cookies and a fresh crock-pot of hot-spiced cider in the kitchen. 

He wondered how the little 'princess' had ended up in Anderson. He only partially paid attention to the classes and the counseling sessions, and knew that it had somehow involved alcohol, but beyond that, he didn't know a thing about this girl. He made a silent vow to himself to pay more attention and to try to get to know her better. He followed them up the stairs and was given the guest bedroom. Phil warned him about wandering around at night, especially with the security system they had on the house. Used to such treatment, Val didn't think twice about it, but Amelia privately admonished her father over such treatment of a guest. If he didn't trust Val, did that mean that he didn't trust her either? Phil eased up on the boy the next day.

Holidays at the Seyruun house were nothing like Val had experienced, or rather, allowed himself to experience. Amelia babbled incessantly about the normal things they did during winter break. There were all sorts of festivities planned, and to his dismay, he found out that his name was included in every single one, including singing carols around the neighborhood. He was never forced to participate in family functions with his foster family, and this new expectation was something he soon found intoxicating. Always having disappeared into the background and having avoided these events, he enjoyed the attention and the sense that this was a taste of what he had lost…

Val tried his best to enjoy himself by immersing himself in all of Amelia's activities, and even surprised her with his singing voice when they went caroling, but in the back of his mind was the dark thought that his foster family hadn't even asked him to come home. He was in for a surprise, though, when Amelia checked with him if it would be okay if the Ul Copts could join them for Christmas dinner. Apparently, they hadn't wanted to make him come home if he still hated them, but when they discovered that Amelia knew Val and that she had convinced him to stay with her, they wanted to try to spend time with him.

At first angry and irritated at the family, he calmed down when Amelia explained everything to him, and Christmas turned out to be a healing experience for both families. Gracia came home as well, and Lina's family was invited, much to Val's dismay, but everything turned out fairly well. The girls met Filia, Val's foster sister, and became fast friends with her. Amelia promised to help her to do research in the coming summer for their court case regarding an ancient manuscript, and Filia agreed to visit them both when she could. 

Gracia (or Naga as she liked to be called), Amelia's big sister, wowed him; Luna, Lina's big sister, gave him chills; and Lina just plain wore him out. She was so unpredictable that she could have been someone he'd get along with had he met her on his own, but that first impression seemed to control her view of him. He shrugged her off until Amelia assured him that she would have a 'talk' with her, and sure enough, Lina seemed to come around, albeit reluctantly. To show there were no hard feelings, all the kids became engrossed in a board game, even the boy who seemed to lurk about: Jordan, he thought the name was. Val, despite the mix of personalities and the whole dizzying experience, found that he was enjoying himself.

"Here. This is for you," Val told her later, after everyone had turned in for the night. He handed her a couple of sheets of paper.

Just like a kid, Amelia was sitting on the floor of her room, playing with her brand new mini stereo system that her father had given her. She looked up from her spot and accepted the papers with a confused look.

"What's this?" she wondered.

"Well, I didn't really get a chance to get you anything for Christmas, you know, and you gave me that nice sketch pad and all…" His face was turning a rather fetching shade of red, and Amelia fought the giggle that was tickling her throat. "Well… It's not much, but… Merry Christmas," he finished pathetically.

Her gaze drifted down to the papers in her hands. His 'meager' gift to her was a cleaner sketch of the one he had done in math class. It was of her left profile, a pensive pose with her chin in her hand, as she contemplated the problem on the chalkboard. Looking at the next page, her breath caught in her throat. It was a drawing of her sitting on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, ripping the wrapping paper off a large present. Hastily sketched and further refined with darker strokes, it was well detailed and very thoughtful. To Amelia, it was as if he had given her a diamond necklace. She clutched the two pages to her chest and swore to keep his talent a secret if he wanted her to.

When he shook his head 'no,' he knew that he had passed a turning point. No longer was he going to deny who he was, although remembering the tragic events of his life was still a sore issue with him. He would take Amelia's advice. His New Year's resolution would be to _try_. As for Amelia, she made a new friend in Val, so her resolution was to remain on the right path and make at least one new friend this year. He rang in the New Year with Amelia and her family, and he actually looked forward to seeing his foster family the next day. He may as well start with them.

Vacation was over before they knew it, and Amelia found herself becoming anxious. She thrived on the people around her, and the thought of returning to a place where people who weren't her friends or family surrounded her was highly disheartening. Though she and Val were becoming friends, she still was loath to be away from her home again. One thought that kept her going was that she would be able to see Rebecca and Wen once again.

So it came as a shock to her when Wen told her bluntly upon their return that Rebecca had overdosed two days before, and died on New Year's Day. 

Amelia wanted to _make_ another friend, not lose one. They discussed their feelings in Group that day, but it still left them all feeling at a loss. They were no longer the 'Crap Pack' that Val had nicknamed them when he was on the outside, and Amelia began to slowly slip into another depression. Val and Wen remained by her side, silently supporting her, but they knew that they couldn't give her the female companionship that she so needed. 

At the beginning of February, five more kids were due in on the bus, and when Rem approached her later that day to ask if she could take on a roommate, Amelia initially bristled at the thought. However, at the sight of short reddish-orange-brown hair peeking out from behind the tall woman, she changed her mind. The girl was like nobody else she had ever met. First thing, she looked nothing like a girl. She was rail thin, flatter than Lina, and her limbs appeared to be made of jelly. Just watching her crawl around and do flips over the furniture was giving her a headache, and Amelia wondered if she had made a mistake in agreeing to this.

"Amelia, I'd like to introduce you to Francoise," Rem said with a smile. "Francoise, this is Amelia."

"Amelia, I smell ya," she said as she rolled across the floor and then uncurled herself before Amelia. "Mel-Mel, swell bell fell."

"Hello, Francoise." She stuck out her hand, but the girl hugged Amelia instead.

"Not 'Francoise' silly Mel-Mel. My name is Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky the Fourth. But you can call me Ed."

Amelia blinked several times before a smile broke through her frown, and she patted the girl on the head. "Alright, Ed, it is!"

At first, Amelia believed Rem had asked Amelia to room with Ed because Rebecca had died, but she found that was not the case. The woman did not want to detract from the friendship she and Rebecca had. Amelia discovered that none of the other girls had the correct temperament to put up with Ed for very long, and even Val and Wen took some time to become adjusted to the girl who was so completely opposite from their last friend.

Soon, Amelia and Ed were joined at the hip, and Ed was very vocal about the fact that she was not pleased to be imprisoned in this place without her Tomato. It took several weeks before Amelia discovered that 'Tomato' was actually a computer of Ed's design, and that she had been caught hacking into several high-security systems. She was the famous 'Radical Edward' who had been in all the papers.

"They should have just suggested a work furlough for you, Ed," Wen commented to her as they were tending to the garden outside. It was March, but the heat of the day was still stifling. The group had constructed a makeshift canopy above the garden to shield it from the worst of the sun's rays, and the 'Crap Pack' had taken shelter in its shade.

"Nobody wanted to let Ed work for them," the strange girl said clearly, and not in her usual bubbly tone. The others glanced at each other at this gloomy disposition.

Wen continued to push the issue. "That's because they're afraid of you, you know."

"Wen!"

"Well, it's true, Amelia. They don't want to hire someone who's smarter than them, and they certainly fear what she can do if unsupervised. I bet if someone's watching you, they still wouldn't be able to figure out what you're doing, right Ed?"

"Radical Edward knows all, hacks all, but only Tomato understands Ed, and only Ed understands Tomato."

"See Amelia? They're all afraid of us out there. You're an intelligent girl. Hell, even Val here's smart, too…"

"Hey!"

"…and they don't like feeling like they're not in control. So they stick us in places like this, medicate us so they feel better about abandoning us, and try to come up with reasons to hold us back from attaining as much as we can."

Amelia inwardly frowned at his words, but plastered a smile on her face and nodded with him. Ed had not heard much of his little speech, having rolled out from under the shade, and was now walking on her hands. Wen continued to grumble about the unfairness of the system and the inadequacies of the staff while he planted the tiny seedlings. Val eyed Amelia as he continued his work. The afternoon flew by in silence.

"What happened?" Val asked her after dinner. She was reading her book on the couch in the common room when he flopped down next to her.

"With what?"

"That stuff this afternoon. What the hell happened to the outspoken tough girl who didn't put up with stupid shit, no matter who said it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You can't lie to me, Amelia. I've watched you since you got on that bus. I probably know you better than you know yourself, especially since winter break. What was up with faking that smile? You didn't like what Wen said."

"Stop it." Her brows were furrowed, and she appeared close to tears. "What he said had a lot of truth to it, even if I didn't agree with it."

"Since when do you let something like that go?"

"Since Rebecca died, dammit!" she cried, storming off, leaving her book behind on the couch.

Val felt like shit. He picked up the book and leafed though it, skimming the pages, but not seeing the words. Amelia was always reading and re-reading this thing. How could someone read the same thing over and over, already knowing what happens in the book? He realized that it was just the way she was. He was sure that even in the most familiar of things, she would be able to find something new. How much more so in life, which was constantly something new? He shouldn't try to stop her from changing.

A whole day passed before she was free enough for him to approach her, and he handed her back her book.

"I'm sorry."

She looked up at him with surprise. "I thought you said that 'sorry' wasn't part of your vocabulary."

He rubbed the back of his head and sat down beside her. "Yeah, I guess Rem's words are getting through to me, too."

"I shouldn't have taken it out on you, Val. You're right, of course. It's just easier to let idle words go than to take exception to every single thing that annoys me. I figured that Wen enjoys talking and feeling like he's in control. He needs that, just like you need to feel like you can make a difference in the world." She smiled at his surprised expression, and then tapped his forehead. "You're not the only one who knows what goes on inside here."

"And you? I think that you need to feel that no matter what happens, you'll be okay."

Val draped an arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled into his embrace.

"I think that we'll both make a difference in the world, and no matter what happens, we'll both be okay."

Nine months had elapsed since they first arrived, angry and bitter, and in that time, Amelia had made friends in an unlikely place. She lost one to drugs, helplessly watched another begin to spiral away, learned tolerance and patience from one more, and finally discovered that a caring soul could exist beneath a gruff exterior. In three months, they would go their separate ways, and Amelia wished they would always remain close friends.

"Pinky promise that we'll always be friends?" she asked, offering her little finger.

Val joined his with hers. "This is stupid, you know."

She grinned. "I know, but you're still doing it."

He sighed and growled playfully. "Yeah, yeah. I pinky promise…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The remaining three months at Anderson passed quickly, and before Amelia knew it, she and Val were boarding the bus to return home. She had given Ed her book to keep her company and to remember her by. Wen had left shortly after his tirade in the garden. He bade them farewell, and never looked back. Amelia had never once heard from him in the five years since, until one fateful day when she discovered that he had fallen back into addiction and violence and had threatened the lives of two of her closest friends. She felt the loss of her old friend, but was ever thankful that somehow, her new friends had survived such a trying ordeal.

Although she knew it was difficult for Zelgadiss to hear about a kid who had threatened to kill Gourry, those events just _were_. Wen had been her friend a lifetime ago, it seemed, but if anything had happened to Zelgadiss or Gourry, she didn't know how she would have handled it. Gourry was like a protective older brother whom she adored, and she believed her best friend _belonged_ with him. What would have happened to Lina if Gourry had been hurt?

As for Zelgadiss… Amelia had only really known him for a little over a month and a half, but she had found in him a kindred spirit. He offered her comfort when it was sorely needed, and she found that he was a rock in a turbulent sea. She greatly enjoyed his company and wanted to learn more about him. Hoping that he would one day open up to her, she decided to make more of an effort to get to know him better.

For her sister's sake, of course, she told herself. Gracia was coming home soon, so maybe by then, she could be able to fill her in on Zel… 

Amelia tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy that struck her heart when she thought about hooking up her sister and her friend, but it was getting more difficult to pass off the feeling as anxiety. Only one thing held her mind back from acknowledging that she found Zelgadiss attractive and charming: Amelia did _not_ want to betray her sister.

But she settled on giving Zelgadiss a gentle kiss on the cheek as she hugged him goodbye.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zelgadiss watched Amelia run up to the motorcycle that had pulled up to the house and give Val a tight and lingering hug. She tugged on her helmet and hopped onto the bike behind him. Val turned back and gave him a half-hearted salute, which Zel returned. Amelia waved at him, and then they zoomed away. He didn't notice that she watched him for as long as she could.

He closed the front door and sat down on the couch, lowering his head into his hands. It was past one in the morning, and Amelia had been able to tell him all about her past and her time at Anderson. Discovering a little more about Wen, he found that the system _was_ flawed if that kid had been able to fall so readily back into trouble, but as evidenced by Amelia and Val, the system _did_ work as well. Although the guilt was still there, amidst the swirl of emotions bumping around in his heart, it was not the one clamoring to be heard.

Zel picked up his empty mug and stared at the dregs staining the bottom of the cup. Amelia and Val. They had shared so much, even more than she had with Wen, and they had helped each other through such bad times. _"…she thinks you're something special…"_

He couldn't explain it. Zelgadiss did not like how Val's call to her cel phone was what cut their time together short. He did not like how tightly she hugged Val, either. But he especially did not like how _Val_ would be the one to offer comfort to Amelia tonight. 

Zel could no longer deny it. He was jealous.

The mug flew across the room and hit the fireplace, shattering into dozens of pieces. Without a thought of cleaning up, he wandered into his room and sat on his bed, burying his head in his hands once again. Taking several deep breaths and trying to remember what his life was like before Amelia, Zelgadiss tried to shut out the feeling of her comforting presence in his arms. He tried to forget the feeling of _needing_ someone.

But the feel of her lips on his right cheek still lingered, and the last words she whispered into his ear as she hugged him goodbye still echoed in his mind as he fell asleep: _"No matter what happens, Mister Zelgadiss, we'll get through this together. We'll both be okay…"_

*****************************

A/N: Oho-ho-ho-ho-ho!!! I think my angst tank's full and I need to move on to something a little lighter. Something fluffy. Hmm… ^_^

[Again, this in **no way** advocates underage drinking or drug use. In researching, I found the following sites extremely helpful: www.probation.saccounty.net, www.udetc.org, and www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.]

*****Hugs* to you all! Special thanks to those who've reviewed: **Scatter** (Thanks! I hope this chapter cleared up a little bit more about Amelia's and Val's past, as well as giving more insight into how the two main characters feel about each other. How will they handle it? That's a secret! ^_^), **Phizzy-chan** (Sometimes, the important chapters come out a little bit darker than the others, simply because I end up doing a lot of delving into character's reasons and reasoning. These last three chapters especially, not only because of the Amelia backstory, but also because of the effects on the characters. Hope this chapter answered some more questions.), **Ichiban Victory** (Thank you! It's always a sad thing to deal with, but as you said, even the bad things can make a person better. I'm glad your relationship with your sister is better now. I think Amelia and Naga are due for some sisterly interaction soon! – And about the contest, thank you so much! ^_^), **Aisha C** (Thanks! If I can say one thing about migraines, it gives my angst meter a boost! With relationships, especially budding ones, there will always be room for angst, but we'll take a break for a while and see what else I can cook up for you! ^_^), **Valk** (After I write a chapter, and revise and rewrite several times, I tend to lose the impact of the content. Thanks for reminding me that the events really were sad. It's become rote to me, so I wonder sometimes if it's got the right effect. I'll keep my eye on repetition as well – one of my many foes… ~_^), **Kaeru Shisho** (As always, you pick up on those breadcrumbs I toss in between the huge cakes of the storyline. Both he and Amelia share tragedy in their pasts. I haven't gotten to his full story yet, but in listening to hers, he's realizing that things could have ended up so differently for him. He's dealt with his tragedy in a different way, but underneath it all, they are very similar to each other after all. Now, the question remains: How is Zel going to handle all this new information? Heh heh… That's a secret! ~_^), **jesphoenix05** (No torture, please! I hope this chapter sated your appetite for a while. I think I need something sweet for the next chapter. Not so heavy this time… ^_^), **eedoe** (Amelia's tragic past is something that she's been able to rise above, though it still affects her in little ways. Sometimes when I'm talking to myself – yes it happens often – I find myself quipping those little one-liner putdowns. I figured Zel could do it as well. ^_^ And both Amelia and Zel are beginning to realize something that they don't want to admit to themselves… Heh heh heh… We'll see how they handle it.)

Click the button and review!__


	22. Enter the Serpent

Disclaimer: Slayers and 'Gone With the Wind' and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 22**

**_Enter the Serpent_**

****

Lina had been watching the television the same way everyone in town was. Settled comfortably on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a tall glass of double-caffeine-laden soda, as well as a plate of buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing, cheese-stuffed jalapenos, and meatballs, her eyes were glued to the screen.

It started out as a high-speed chase on the freeways. A common enough occurrence, but from what the reporters were saying, a teenager was the one behind the wheel. After forty-five minutes of stupidly watching the stupid driver go around the stupid freeways and stupidly endangering people's lives, Lina got bored and tried to flip to a different channel. Of course, the chase was all over the television by this point, and the only alternative was cable. Lina calmly devoured her afternoon snack while watching music videos, all the while nodding her head in time with the thumping beats. A few more minutes and an empty plate or two later, curiosity got the better of her, so she switched the channel back to the news to check out the pursuit.

By this point, the chase was all but forgotten in light of the newest 'breaking developments' at the Downtown shopping center. It was a hostage situation, but they were releasing very little information to the public. One station was smart enough to put both stories up on split screen, but Lina couldn't help but want to know more about the hostage situation. The freeway chase was old news.

So she was still glued to the TV when the helicopter camera covering the hostage site suddenly panned back from the scene but still showed on a wide angle the commotion down on the ground. It looked like the police were moving in, one at a time, but then the whole courtyard erupted into chaos. She could see what looked like gunfire when the station finally cut back to the news anchors in the studio. Flipping through the other channels, Lina found that they had all followed suit. No one wanted to be responsible for showing someone getting shot and killed on live TV.

An hour and a half passed, watching and listening to the reporters speculate about what happened. Finally, they began to cover the events from the scene after the standoff was resolved. That was when Lina saw, way in the background behind the correspondent, a familiar blond head being led to an awaiting ambulance.

"Gourry???" The stuffed jalapeno in her hand fell onto the floor. "What the hell?"

She picked up the phone and dialed his cel phone, but angrily hung it up at hearing, "_The cellular customer you are trying to reach…_"

"Dammit!" she screamed to the empty house, turning up the volume on the television, trying not to miss anything. Wait… was that… Zel? Trying _his_ cel, she almost threw her own phone at the TV in frustration at hearing those same stupid words ringing in her ear. Amelia… Amelia was with Zel today. 

Thankfully, her friend answered, sounding just as harried as she did.

"Hello? Amelia? Where are you?"

"_Miss Lina? I'm at Mister Zelgadiss' house. He… he told me to come here while he…_" She sounded close to tears.

"Are you watching TV?"

"_Y… yes. Oh, Miss Lina, I'm so scared!_"

"Can you see the blond guy in the back behind…"

"_Oh, that's Mister Gourry!_" she screeched into the phone, now doubly hysterical.

"Amelia, calm down! The hostage situation's over, right? So that means that they're okay. I just saw Zel on the screen a minute ago, so he's fine, and Gourry's moving around. Just sit tight, and we'll find out what's going on."

"_Okay. Call me if you need to, Miss Lina._"

Lina Inverse didn't worry. It was not in her nature to worry about things she didn't have any control over. No. She just made due with what she had.

So it shocked her to discover that her hand was shaking, and that there was a hollow feeling in her chest at the thought that something bad was happening to her friend. She sat back down on the couch with her hands balled up into fists on her lap, and she tried to meditate to calm herself. 

Slow her breathing. 

In.

Out.

Clear the mind.

In.

Out…

Screw it.

Lina tried Gourry's phone again with no luck. When she called the station to ask about him, she ended up yelling at them for the lack of information. What the hell is 'I am not at liberty to disclose that information' supposed to mean?

And so she sat, for the next hour, waiting and watching, wondering what was happening to Gourry. And Zel, too, of course. After the tenth time trying both men's cels, to her surprise, she finally got through to Zelgadiss.

"_Hello?_"

"Zel??? Where's Gourry? Is he with you? He's not hurt, is he?"

"_Yeah, he's here. No, he's okay._"

"What happened? Why didn't you answer earlier? Forget it. Put him on the phone!"

"_Geez, here you go…_"

"Gourry?"

"_Hi, Lina._"

"What the hell happened? I saw you on the news. Are you alright?"

"_Yeah, I'm fine. Really, Lina._"

"Well, I'll believe you when I see you for myself. Where are you now?"

"_We just left Lucky's…_"

"You went to **_eat_** first???" Caught between being insulted that he didn't invite her and being angry that he didn't call her first, Lina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to get choked up. "Didn't you think about how people would feel not knowing what's happened to you? You could have at least called or something…"

"_Are you okay, Lina? Your voice sounds different._"

"Shaddup! I've just been… well, never mind about that. I want to know what happened. I'd better see you within an hour, or I'm going to have to hunt you down!"

"_Hey, Lina, did you want me to come over?_"

"Of course, dummy! Hurry up!"

When she hung up the phone, she let out a huge sigh of relief, and lowered her head onto the arm of her couch. She didn't uncurl from her spot on the couch until several minutes later when car lights danced across the wall signaling the arrival of someone in the driveway. Forcing deep breaths, she calmly stood and went to answer the door. She was cool, calm and collected. She was Lina Inverse.

"Hi, Lina," Gourry said quietly when she opened the door. His face lit up somewhat upon seeing her, but there was a haunted look across his features that marred his usual happy countenance. It was wrong, somehow, and to Lina, it was an unwelcome intruder into her friend's life.

Smack!

"Don't you start that, Gourry! You're better than feeling sorry for yourself! There was nothing you could do, and you know that!" A smile finally tugged at his lips as he rubbed the back of his head, and he stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. Lina continued to rant, and he allowed her to blow off steam. "So if I see that look again, I'll beat it out of you! You just keep on going, keep on living, because if you don't…" She was _not_ going to cry! "… then… then, I'll knock some sense back into you!"

When it was clear that she had finished talking, he reached over and enveloped her in a hug, his long blond hair mingling for a moment with her red. The girl buried her face in his chest as she wrapped her arms around him, but after about ten seconds of the mushy stuff, Lina let him go.

And punched him in the arm.

"What was that for, Lina?" Gourry rubbed his arm, though it hardly even stung. That punch was definitely not as hard as the ones she usually issued, even when playing around, so that was saying something. Maybe she was afraid of hurting him. He fought off the urge to smile.

"That's for making me worry! I know I shouldn't, but when I saw you on TV… What happened out there, Gourry?" she asked in a distinctly un-Lina-like tone. She suddenly appeared extremely uncomfortable asking. Although Gourry didn't mind being open with her, he still wished that she would open up with him more, trust him with her private thoughts and concerns. Lina would probably rather face her sister than admit anything that she wasn't ready for just yet, and he didn't want to push her. So he would be patient and bide his time. Lina was the type of girl one didn't bully _or_ coddle. She was tough as nails, but underneath it all, she was still human.

"Are you hungry? I can tell you what happened over dinner," he proposed, knowing the perfect way to comply with her wishes and to divert her attention from her discomfort. 

Lina's eyes lit up, and she grabbed her purse, clapping him on the back as they went out to the truck. "I never thought you'd ask!"

Gourry finally smiled, knowing that with Lina, all would be right with the world.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Since Lina was in the mood for Johnny Pitt's, Gourry had no other choice but to comply with her wishes. They drove back across town in silence: Gourry wanting to wait until they ate before he explained what happened, and Lina wishing that he would let her into his world.

Up until this point, she had never asked him about his job. Life was safer that way, sometimes. She figured the less she knew about the things he went through on a daily basis, the less she would have to worry about him. Besides, being on patrol was an easy business, she thought. Nothing like being on S.W.A.T. or something _dangerous_ like that. He just pulled people over for driving too fast, and broke up fights at the local malls, right?

Somehow, though, the severity of what occurred today had changed her mind. She knew that Gourry, whether on duty or off, would never allow harm to come to innocent people. Today, he placed himself in the line of fire to protect the people around him, and she was sure he had tried to protect Wen, as well. Lina suddenly realized that today was almost like any other day for him, in that respect. No matter what, his job _was _dangerous.

When they arrived, Gourry led her to a quiet little corner outside under the covered patio. A cheerful little fire pit was only two feet away, warming them just enough without overheating them, and when the waitress came over to take their order, they ordered the usual: all-you-can-eat ribs and a hot-pastrami sandwich each. Several more minutes passed in silence while they both ate, but long before Lina was finished with her first stack of ribs, Gourry wiped at his mouth and pushed away his empty plates.

"I had just gotten off my shift and was out shopping for Amelia's birthday gift when I saw this guy…" he began without warning, for which Lina was grateful. Although she wanted him to tell her what happened, she didn't know if she could ask him to relive those events. Trying to eat and listen at the same time, she let Gourry just talk.

By the time the plates were cleared and dessert was served and consumed, Gourry had finished telling her the whole horrible story: from his profound feeling of helplessness at preventing the first death, to his relief that the subject was content enough to keep them as hostages and not kill them all, to his attempt to get through to the boy and his ultimate failure, and finally, to his weakness at preventing the boy's suicide.

"My vision was still blurred from when he hit me, but I saw Zel moving in from across the courtyard. He was trying to stop the kid, but he just wouldn't go down. And then I saw him raise the gun… I tried to stop him. I was going to tackle him, knock him down, or… something. He didn't listen to me, Lina, and when he laughed, he knew none of it mattered. I've tried my best to get through to kids like that every day out on the streets, but the one time it was supposed to count…"

Gourry stared at his hands as if the world were slipping through them like sand. He had a lost expression on his face, as if he were questioning his very existence and had no clue what the answer would be. Lina reached across the table and gently placed her hands over his, curling her fingers around his.

"You couldn't save them, Gourry, but what matters most is that you _tried_. How many people do you save on a daily basis? How many people take your words to heart and turn their lives around. I mean, it worked with me, didn't it?" She grinned jauntily at him, though they both knew it wasn't really the case, and he couldn't help but smile. "You're so giving of yourself, that you didn't even mention how you were feeling when Wen could have killed you. I think you were more worried about him than yourself. That takes an enormous amount of courage and sacrifice… What? What's wrong?"

A strange look appeared on his face, one of confusion mixed with panic. His grip on her hands suddenly tightened.

"They… they never told me his name. Oh, geez, Lina, I thought he looked familiar. Lina, please don't tell me that was Amelia's friend from the picture…"

"Gourry…" For once, she was at a loss for what to say, so she did what first came to her mind. Briefly releasing his hands, she moved from her side of the table to sit next to him on the bench and placed a comforting arm around his back, allowing him to do the same. 

They didn't talk much for the rest of the night, and Gourry took comfort in Lina's steadfast presence. She had never shown much affection, but what little she did give him was calming. Lina, although she knew that the man needed a reassuring friend, was truly glad that he needed _her_. She felt valuable to him in a way that was different than she was used to, but one that she was slowly beginning to welcome.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sir, I'd like to request a reassignment."

The stern-looking man looked up from his report at the officer, searching for any indication of the reason for this sudden transformation and request. The young man's stoic face betrayed nothing. He put down the file and took off his glasses.

"I take it you'd like me to say 'yes' and be done with it?" he asked. Still no clue from the lad, so he posed a simple question, "What would you do, if you were in my shoes?"

"Well, I guess I'd want to know the reason why."

"And _your_ reason would be…" Now the kid was squirming. 

Reluctant as he was, he answered nonetheless. "Sir, I'm getting too close to the subject."

The Captain's eyebrows shot up. This was something new, indeed. 

"And that's a problem?" he asked, trying to keep his composure while still trying to pry.

"Sir, I… I don't know if I can do my job objectively… I…"

The Captain pointed to the chair, and the officer unenthusiastically sat. The normally reserved and even shy young man had few friends and seemed to enjoy that fact. He usually distanced himself from those around him, so it was something indeed that he admitted news like this. 

"Give me a valid reason, Greywords, and I'll take it into consideration."

Zel just stared at him. After a few moments of silence, the Captain shook his head and continued on. "Greywords, you were given the task of protecting Amelia Seyruun, and what better way to protect her than to be near her as much as you can? I understand that you've become friends, but I don't see how that would hurt the situation."

Zelgadiss began to squirm in his seat. He didn't want to explain his confusing and conflicting feelings to anyone, especially since he hadn't had the chance to sort them out for himself. He tried to collect and organize his emotions and thoughts and voice them in a way that didn't make him sound so… weak. He finally decided on the one concern that pertained to his job.

"Sir, I became her friend under false pretenses. What am I going to do when she finds out that I was _ordered _to get close to her?"

"You were _ordered _to keep an eye on her and protect her if necessary. Judge Seyruun asked us for our help, and I assigned _you_ because you'd gone to the same school that his daughters did. _You_ were the one who said that you would feel comfortable in this position since you knew them. If you became the girl's friend on your own, then that was your own doing."

"Sir…"

He raised a hand to stop him.

"You know your orders, Greywords. It's up to you to determine how to carry them out. I'm not going to go rearranging everything simply because you can't handle the subject. Figure it out and deal with it. Reassignment denied."

"Yes, sir."

Zelgadiss stood and saluted the Captain and then turned on his heel. As he left the office, frustrated and upset at himself, several of the police officers clapped him on the back and greeted him, but he only halfheartedly returned the gestures. They had all heard about the standoff, and were glad that he had been able to save not only the hostages but one of their own as well. 

He found himself in one of his favorite places to think and release tension: the shooting range.

Garnering a few looks of awe or appreciation, he checked in and donned his eye and ear protection. Trying to ignore all the looks, he went to a free stall and set up the target twenty-five feet away. Taking out his handgun, he lifted the Glock and pointed it at the target, losing himself to his training and trying to _remember_:

_You're a heartless, expert marksman. _

Bang!

_Relationships only weigh you down._

Bang!

_Your job is your life._

Bang!

_Always watch your partner's back._

Bang!

_Never let anyone know your weaknesses._

Bang!

_If you can exploit a target's weakness, someone can exploit yours._

Bang!

Zelgadiss continued his personal mantra, trying to close the door to his heart with every shot, trying to rein in his emotions like the recoil of the gun. In his mind, he was replaying the final moments of the standoff again. With each shot, he buried a bullet in an extremity, but it failed to prevent the kid from advancing. Narrowing his focus, he did the only thing he could do to stop him: hit center mass. With ice growing over his heart, he emptied the clip into the hanging target.

He wasted no time sliding in a fresh clip and pointing the gun yet again. End it quickly. Aim between the eyes…

The sudden thought of Amelia slammed into his mind, and he could just picture her, standing in front of the imaginary Wen with her arms held out to her sides in a protective gesture, her words coming back to haunt him. _"No matter what happens, Mister Zelgadiss, we'll get through this together. We'll both be okay…"_

Zelgadiss stood there in the booth for several moments, holding his gun out in front of him while he tried to steel himself for his next move. Some of his fellow officers glanced over at him to see why he had stopped shooting, but one look at the intensity of his eyes as he glared at the target told them enough. They went about their business, but kept a wary eye on him.

His hands were shaking. He knew that it was all in his head. He could see the paper target, clear as day, but Zelgadiss could not bring himself to shoot it, just _thinking_ that Amelia would do something to put herself in danger. Finally lowering his gun, he tried to fight off the feeling that he had failed himself. 

Where was his bravado? His own sense of self? Dammit, he was a cop before he knew her, and he'd always be a cop! Zel lifted his gun, and in his mind, pushed Amelia aside, aiming between the eyes of the target.

_That's right, Mister Zelgadiss. You're a police officer, not a murderer…_

Lowering his gun yet again, he removed the clip and emptied the chamber. With a vague sense of defeat, he pressed the button to retrieve the target, and saw that all but four shots had completely shredded the center of the chest. He checked out of the range before anyone could comment on his shooting. 

Seeking the safety and privacy of his car, Zel closed his eyes. He hadn't thought he would get the reassignment, but it was worth a try, and his attempt at getting the walls back up around his heart only resulted in them getting knocked down yet again at the mere _thought_ of Amelia. He wasn't going to end up like Xelloss. Not only did he not want to be a hypocrite and go after the girl when he had _just _said that there was nothing between them, but he also didn't want to be some over-jealous nut, who wanted her all to himself.

Of course she was attractive. Hell, he wouldn't be a man if he couldn't acknowledge that much, but from his experience, beauty wasn't everything. Amelia was more than just a pretty face and a spunky personality, though, and she seemed to like him just fine, even with all of his scars and his negative attitude. Unlike _her… _A fleeting bitter thought crossed his mind along with the image of another raven-haired young woman, but he kicked it away to think on the less painful, though equally confusing subject of Amelia.

He hadn't known her for very long, so why was she having this kind of effect on him? What had changed in the last three days? So he found out a bit of her past. As traumatic as it was, he found himself liking her more for it. It made her human. It made her flawed. It made her just like him.

Now the question was, what was he going to do about it?

The conflict not yet settled, the only thing he could do was the _last_ thing he wanted to.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amelia awoke to the happy smell of bacon and coffee wafting up from the kitchen, but as she opened her eyes, she suddenly wished she were someplace very, very far away.

"Good morning, Amelia," Lina said through smiling, clenched teeth.

Yes, Amelia wished she hadn't tied Lina to the bed to keep her from thrashing around in her sleep.

"G… good morning, Miss Lina." Before her friend could verbally rip her to shreds, Amelia sat up and began talking fast. "Oh, Miss Lina, I'm sorry! _You_ know how much you toss and turn in your sleep, and I'm so used to you sleeping in the guest bedroom that I didn't think that it would be a problem for you to sleep with me if Mister Val had the guest bedroom instead, but after you fell asleep you began to fight in your sleep like you used to, and I had to strap you down so I could actually get some sleep too. I didn't think I'd sleep in this late. I'm so sorry!"

Several tense moments passed, but Lina was still smiling. Amelia began to sweat. Finally, the redhead spoke.

"That's very nice, Amelia… **_Now, untie me right now!!!_**" Amelia released her friend and spent the next couple of minutes trying to figure the best way out of a suppression hold while trying to apologize. 

Lina had met her and Val at Amelia's house at almost two o'clock in the morning, and the three of them had talked into the night, trying to make some kind of sense of what had happened. Apparently, a few weeks back, Val had some kind of inkling of what Wen had gotten back into and had tried to help him out, but the boy was completely under. He shut Val out, refused to get help, and cursed all his old friends. 

Amelia couldn't understand that at all. Didn't he know that he was affecting the people around him who cared about him whether he intended to or not? Didn't he understand that there would always be friends who would not be afraid of helping him? Didn't he know… how much they _cared_? Pushing aside those thoughts, she decided that those questions were not something that would be answered overnight.

After several minutes of some good-natured sparring, the girls wandered downstairs and were greeted by the amusing sight of Val trying to cook breakfast. His hair was in a wild mane about his head, and he was wearing a frilly apron over his t-shirt and shorts. He was burning the pancakes on the griddle while he tended to the undercooked biscuits in the oven, so Amelia took the spatula and began flipping the pancakes herself. Lina settled herself onto the kitchen stool and watched the two.

"Morning, gals," Val muttered, shutting the oven door. "Aw, shit." Retrieving a pair of tongs, he pulled strips of bacon out of the grease and laid them on a paper towel to drain off the liquid. Instead of nice reddish brown bands, they were shriveled-up blackened chunks.

"What's the occasion?" Lina asked, her chin resting in her hand.

"I didn't want to wake you two up, since you looked so nice and cozy sleeping together…" He ducked several utensils flying by his head. 

"Go sit down, Mister Val," Amelia ordered, retrieving the knives and forks from the floor and placing them in the dishwasher. 

He complied and after handing her the frilly apron, he obediently sat down on the stool next to Lina with his elbows on the counter. He continued in a whisper, "…so I figured I'd get breakfast started until Amelia could save me from disaster. See how it worked?"

Lina fought to keep a straight face, and her stomach ensured that her friend wouldn't notice Val's true intent. If she had, then Lina would have to wait even longer for breakfast. Without Val in the way, Amelia bustled around the kitchen, and soon, a towering stack of perfect pancakes, eighteen perfectly scrambled eggs, two packages of perfect slices of bacon, two dozen perfectly browned biscuits, and three mugs of perfect coffee sat before the teens. Butter, blackberry jam, syrup, sugar and cream sat ready for them to use.

Lina displayed amazing restraint eating breakfast. She only took a stack of ten pancakes, seven biscuits, twelve slices of bacon, and three spoonfuls of eggs. Amelia and Val split the rest.

"Aren't you hungry, Miss Lina?"

Lina swallowed and took a sip of her coffee before answering. "Of course I am, but I know that Beth isn't here to make enough food for all of us, so I'm being fair with what you made."

Val and Amelia glanced at each other with wide eyes. That didn't sound like Lina at all. Not wanting to press the issue and have her do an about-face and take their food, the two chose to remain silent. When she had finished her pancakes, Amelia glanced over at Val.

"You could have just woken me up, Mister Val. You know you can't cook worth a damn."

The fork paused on its way to his mouth as he stared at her. "Geez, it's _so_ weird to even hear you cussing again. What's the occasion?" he asked.

She scratched her head as she buttered another biscuit. "I guess I've been thinking about stuff a lot more recently. I told Mister Zelgadiss last night about Anderson and Wen. About some stuff before that, too. I guess it's been on my mind lately."

Val grinned to himself. Aha! He knew it. Amelia was a girl who easily made friends, but there was something about that Zelgadiss guy that made him think that she'd open up to him. Of course, what the dude did with that knowledge remained to be seen, but Val could be counted on to make sure that Amelia would come to no harm. A tiny twinge of regret touched his heart at the thought of his little princess not needing him to be her knight any longer, but he figured she would have to grow up sometime. He had just thought it would be later than sooner.

Lina was thinking along the same lines, but she decided to keep quiet about it. In their late night ramblings, she hadn't mentioned her interaction with Gourry until she and Amelia were alone. If Val had that knowledge, she'd never live it down, but she trusted her girlfriend with that valuable information. Just as she had thought, Amelia took it in and smiled, promising not to say anything. So Lina merely smiled at this new information about Zelgadiss and continued to eat.

After clearing away the dirty dishes, Val retrieved his belongings and bade them farewell. Gripping Lina's hand tightly, he only nodded and grinned at her before she slugged him in the shoulder and disappeared up the stairs to take a shower. Amelia walked him outside to his bike.

"Keep your chin up, Amelia," he said, placing a gentle hand under her chin and tilting her face up to look at him. "What's it you usually say? 'Tomorrow's another day' or something like that?"

She laughed. "That's Scarlet O'Hara, silly. But I guess it's kinda like that: 'There's always a tomorrow.' I'll keep on looking forward."

"That's the spirit." With a quick hug and an innocent kiss on her cheek, he was on his bike and screeching away by the time she closed the door.

A block away, scarred hands tightened around a set of binoculars. Zelgadiss fought off the urge to throw them through the window at the sight of that kid… _kissing_ her. Dammit. That was it. He had no other option. Zel started the car and left his position, never seeing the nondescript black SUV drive up the street and park in the spot he had just vacated.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Refreshed from her shower, Amelia sat at her vanity as she combed through her wet hair. Her eyes wandered to the pictures she had all along the back of the little table and the desk: pictures of her friends and her family. She thought about all her friends, old and new, and came to realize that she didn't have a picture of Zelgadiss up yet. She'd just have to print out some of the ones she had taken at the car show.

Her eyes settled on an old photo of her mother. She was so beautiful and elegant, very much like her sister in appearance. She wore matching jewelry, the necklace and pendant, the earrings, the ring, and the bracelets that Amelia had worn to the prom. They had all belonged to Victoria, but she had given the ring to Gracia and the bracelets to Amelia. Phil tried to give her sister the earrings, but when they were refused, he ended up giving them to Amelia. When she left, Gracia had given her the ring as well.

Now Amelia possessed all those matching items. 

Searching her jewelry box, she found the puzzle ring with the same strange markings as her pendant and put it on her right ring finger. Putting on the earrings and the bracelets as well, her fingers ran idly over the engravings. With a small smile, she decided that she would wear them more often. After all, not only were they gifts, but they were her mother's as well.

_Ring. Ring._

"Hello?"

_Click._

Amelia frowned, staring at the phone.

_Ring._

She jumped in surprise. 

"Hello?"

_Click._

Déjà vu was prickling at her mind, and she stood to find Lina. This was too weird…

_Ring. Ring._

Amelia just looked at the phone in her hand, trying to decide whether or not to answer it. She didn't understand why she was suddenly on edge, and why she was so nervous about answering a simple call. 

_Ring. Ring._

It was probably just a wrong number after all.

"Hello?"

_Click._

"Miss Liiiiiinaaaaa!" Amelia yelled from her room. She heard the hairdryer stop and the hall bathroom door open quickly. Her friend appeared in her doorway, wrapped in a towel.

"What's wrong?" she demanded, her hair only partially dry as it fell about her tanned shoulders.

"Someone keeps on calling me and hanging up. This is the fourth time it's happened in two months!" 

"Calm down, Amelia. Have you told your dad or anyone?"

"No. At first I just thought it was the wrong number, but this has happened too many times…"

_Ring._

Lina grabbed the phone from her friend's hand and answered it before she could protest. "You'd better have a good reason for calling here buddy…! Oh. I'm sorry. Yes, it is. Okay. I'll let her know. Thank you. Bye." Lina returned the phone to its cradle and sat down on the bed. Were those tears in Lina's eyes?

"That was the hospital, Amelia," she began. Amelia regarded her with a worried expression. "Jordan's…" Tears began to pool up in Amelia's eyes as her hand flew to her mouth, and she sat down hard in her seat. _No. Please, no!_

Suddenly, Lina smiled widely. "Jordan's awake!"

Amelia felt as if the world had dropped out from under her, but instead of falling, she was soaring up on pure happiness. Pouncing on Lina, she gave her best friend a huge hug, and then they were frantically getting ready so they could visit Jordan before they started work that afternoon.

When they pulled out of the driveway ten minutes later on Amelia's bike, the man in the black SUV pulled out his cel phone.

"The house is empty now, but we have a problem. The boy's awake. I'd say we have another month before he and the housekeeper are home. Well, this _is_ my speed. Do you want the police out here on watch twenty-four seven? Then let me do things _my_ way. I'll take care of everything."

He turned off the phone and looked at the photos in his file. His eyes fell upon the beautiful young woman and he frowned. "It's a shame I'll have to deal with you as well." His gloved finger ran across her pale face and black hair. "A real shame…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jordan was awake, but still hooked up to half a dozen machines. Amelia approached him tentatively, worried that he was in pain, but also worried that he wouldn't remember her. Beth smiled at her from her spot at Jordan's side; she was holding one of his hands and smoothing back his hair.

"Amelia's here, Jordan," she whispered to him, and to Amelia's delight, he turned his head in her direction. That gave her the courage she needed to step forward and carefully take his other hand, which was covered with probes and IV's. 

"Hi, Jordan," she said, fighting off the tears of happiness that were welling up. "Remember me?"

He fought through the pain to nod, and she beamed. Placing a soothing hand on his arm, she tried to let him know how much she cared. "See? I told you that you'd be fine in time for my birthday! Just keep getting better, okay? I love you."

He squeezed her hand, and she sat with him, telling him about the silly little things that had happened over the past few weeks, and about Zelgadiss as well. She carefully left out what had just happened with Wen, but she could get the sense that he just enjoyed listening to her talking. Beth kept wiping tears from her face, and finally ventured out to the waiting room to allow Lina time to visit. The girls spent as much time as they could with him, but when it became apparent that he was tired, they promised to visit again the following day.

With a full heart and a happy thought to replace the sad one, Amelia went to work and took comfort in the simple, but strangely relaxing monotony of her job. She read to the kids with more emotion than usual, and began to come back around to her usual cheerful spunky self, the worries of the last couple of days fading into the back of her mind.

Over the next couple of weeks, however, her emotions began to jumble about again, though she could hardly say why. Jordan kept progressively getting better; he was off the breathing machine and could sit up on his own for a few minutes more each day. He was starting to eat solid foods, and was forever trying to test his voice to get it back so he could have normal conversations with people. Even the police had come to talk with him about what he could remember about the accident, but his memory was still quite vague about the events of that night, so they hadn't pressed him further.

Gracia was coming home as well. Amelia aired out her sister's room and dusted everything off, since Beth was still living with her sister. It was while she was attending to this that she noticed that one of the windows was unlatched. Making note of it, she tried to remember to tell her father about it, as well as the strange phone calls, but soon dismissed them as a simple oversight and coincidence. She forgot about it all amidst the preparations for her upcoming birthday party. She knew that Lina and her sister had something planned, but it probably wouldn't involve her relatives or Beth and Jordan, so she spent time with her father planning a visit to the hospital and a nice dinner party with everyone.

The night before Gracia would be flying into town, while Amelia lay in bed trying to fall asleep, it finally occurred to her what had been bothering her. 

Zelgadiss.

She hadn't seen or spoken with him since _that_ night. Turning on the light and sitting up in her bed with a frown, she checked the clock and then picked up her phone. It was only 10:00. The phone rang several times before the answering machine picked up. _You have reached the Greywords residence. Please leave your name and number and the time you called at the tone._ When it beeped, Amelia realized that she didn't know what to say.

"Um… hi, Mister Zelgadiss? This is Amelia. I… I guess I just wanted to see how you were doing, since I haven't seen you in a while, that's all, and I missed… um… that is, I must have missed you if you went to the bookstore. Well, also, my sister is coming into town tomorrow, so if you wanted to see her, you can call or drop by. I… guess that's all. Bye. Oh yeah…" She rushed through telling the machine her phone number and the time before she hung up the phone, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. 

She felt like such a fool. _He likes Gracia. He likes Gracia…_ she kept telling herself, but a part of her didn't want to listen anymore. Dialing another number, she squeezed her eyes shut against the thought. The phone rang twice before someone answered.

"_Hello?_"

"Miss Lina?"

"_Hey, Amelia. What's up?_"

"Oh, nothing. I… Well, I wanted to invite Mister Zelgadiss to my birthday party, but I haven't seen him for a while now. _You_ wouldn't happened to have seen him in the bookstore recently, have you?" 

A pause at the other end. "_He was there last week. He stopped in for an espresso and said that he'd be going out of town for a while. Didn't say when he'd be back, though. Didn't he tell you?_"

"No. I never saw him."

"_The jerk. He told me to tell you, but I told him to do it himself._"

"You don't think…"

"_What?_"

She sighed. "You don't think he doesn't want to be my friend anymore because of what I told him about Anderson, do you? He's a police officer, and I told him that I used to drink a lot and that I used to get in trouble. He wouldn't… You don't think he'd hold that against me, do you?"

"_I don't know, Amelia. I don't think he would. Why don't you call him? Do you have his cel phone?_"

"I left a message at his house. I'd feel silly calling him on his cel…"

"_Take it anyway. Got a pen?_"

Amelia copied down the number and thanked her friend for listening to her. She didn't feel better about her relationship… er… friendship with Zelgadiss, but she still felt better than she had before she talked with Lina. 

Oh well. There was always tomorrow…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When she stepped through the door and into the terminal, dozens of heads turned her way, either in rapt awe or in drooling appreciation of her presence. Her long black tresses flowed like silk down her back, and her striking but shrewd blue eyes were covered by a pair of sleek silver-rimmed sunglasses. Dressed in a conservative, yet still somehow revealing, tight black business suit with a low neckline, she strode through the airport as if she owned the place. Tucked away in a fashionable patent leather shoulder bag was a tiny Pomeranian that poked his head out of the little flap every now and again.

She knew that people watched her. They always did. After all, how could anyone compare to the figure of beauty and style that was Naga, the founder/owner/designer of White Serpent Fashions? She walked past all the little people, her eyes on the lookout for a familiar face. Her father or her sister…

Of course, she had barely heard her when the girl was suddenly wrapped around her middle in a decidedly un-cool and unsophisticated way.

"Gracia! I missed you so much!"

Naga sighed. Her sister could be so over-emotional sometimes. Prying her gently from her waist, she looked down at Amelia and couldn't help but smile. Mussing her hair with affection, she took a big step away from her sister and straightened her clothes.

"Hiya, Tesla. Keeping out of trouble?" she asked, lowering her sunglasses so she could see her little sis clearly. The runt was growing taller, but she was still much shorter than herself.

"Oh, you know I am. Daddy's waiting for you at the baggage claim. Hi there, Bubbles! How are you doing, you big boy?"

The dog stuck his head out of the flap in the purse and yipped happily at Amelia, licking her fingers and trying to scratch his way out. Naga lowered it to the floor and opened the top. Clipping the leash to his collar, she handed Amelia the diamond-studded piece of leather. Bubbles walked obediently beside Amelia who was walking obediently beside her sister.

"Here, take him outside to relieve himself while I get my bags. Did Beth air out my room like I asked?"

"I did it. Beth's still not back yet, not until Jordan's ready to come home." Amelia glanced up at her for a moment before asking, "Daddy wants to know what you and Miss Lina have planned."

Naga eyed her sister, a smirk touching her lips. She could be so transparent sometimes. 

"O ho ho ho ho ho!" she laughed, touching the back of her fingertips to the side of her mouth. Amelia grimaced at the grating sound, and then found herself staring cross-eyed at the index finger pointed right between her eyes. "I'm not going to spoil the surprise, Tes, no matter how much you want to know. You can't outsmart me."

"Darn," she said with a smile. "I didn't figure you'd tell me, but it was worth a shot."

"Good try, though. Now go let Bubbles tinkle. I'll meet you downstairs."

Amelia turned her attention to the dog, cooing and talking to him as they walked, and Naga stepped on the escalator downstairs to the baggage claim. Her father's towering figure was easy to spot across the crowd, and she wove her way deftly to him. Of course, he wrapped her in a bear-like hug, but it was brief and she returned it lightly.

"Hello, Daughter."

"Hi, Daddy."

They watched as the carousel began to turn and different pieces of luggage began to fall down the chute onto the moving metal plates. Phil glanced over her head before he returned his eyes to the luggage.

"Tes is walking Bubbles," she said, noticing where he had looked. He nodded.

They found one piece of luggage, and Phil pulled it off of the carousel. Handing it to his daughter, he broached the subject that neither one truly wished to discuss.

"Did you have any problems?"

"No."

"Any more letters?"

"No."

"Did Bradley get my message?"

"Yes, Daddy. Don't worry about me. You know that I can take care of myself."

Phil appeared very grave, but sighed at the thought that he could not protect his daughter the way he wanted to. She was so headstrong and independent, that she had refused his help, but she had proven herself to be a tenacious individual who immediately surrounded herself with trusted people. Nothing got to her without going through Bradley first, Jennifer planned all her trips, and she never went anywhere alone, not even to her own apartment.

But today, his daughter had told Bradley to stay behind in Atlas City and had come home by herself. Philionel was not happy, but he was glad that she was home.

Her second piece of luggage flew down the chute, and Phil pulled it off of the carousel. "So, where are you taking Amelia for her birthday?" he asked as they walked away from the baggage claim and out to the parking lot.

"It's…"

"See, Gracia?" Amelia suddenly appeared next to them with an extremely happy brown puffball yipping at her feet. "I told you that Daddy wanted to know!"

Naga looked at them both before smirking.

"It's… a secret! O ho ho ho ho ho!"

Her ear-splitting laugh echoed through the parking lot as Amelia and Phil shook their heads and followed after her. Amelia snorted. Leave it to her big sister to go walking off to the car without knowing where it was.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hey, you're actually wearing jewelry."

Amelia looked down at her hands. "Yeah, I guess since I'm turning eighteen, I'd try to act a little more grown-up. Besides, you and Mommy and Daddy gave them to me."

"Hmm… they look good on you, but the bracelets are a bit flashy. Don't you think? They'd look much better on me, you know."

A big part of Amelia wanted her to offer them to her sister, but a tiny voice told her not to. _Mommy gifted them to you. It's not your fault that Gracia gave you what Mommy wanted her to have. _Naga wound up ending Amelia's inner conflict. 

"But then again, everything looks better on me. They're a little too classical for my taste. They suit you, though." Was that a compliment from her sister? Amelia stared wide-eyed at Naga, but yet again, her sister was not finished rambling. "You need a bit of flare to liven up your looks. You've got a good body; you should flash more of it around! Did you like the clothes? I brought some more for you to try on. We'll have so much fun on your birthday! O ho ho ho ho ho!"

Phil eyed them with suspicion through the rear view mirror, and Amelia tugged on her sister's arm.

"Gracia, please!" she whispered harshly. Trying to find a way of diverting her attention, she said the first thing that came to mind. "Oh, by the way, I met and became friends with Zelgadiss Greywords."

Surprisingly enough, that had just the right impression on her. Naga stopped laughing, and her face grew serious.

"Zel? Oh, how is he doing?" She _sounded_ interested…

"He's doing great. He's a police officer here in Saillune, but I think he's got some kind of special agreement with the force. He's not on active duty right now, but they can call him in whenever they need him. He's very nice, and he even took me to the Car Show a couple of weeks ago." Naga still had that look on her face. Despite Amelia's confused feelings, she found herself saying, "He asked about you."

"Really?" Her face brightened a bit, but she still appeared… sad. "What did you say?"

"Oh…" She couldn't really remember. "The normal stuff, I guess. I told him you were coming back and that you could catch up on old times. I hope he can make it to my birthday dinner."

"I'd like that…"

Naga smiled then, and Amelia felt her heart drop. This was what she had planned for all along, wasn't it? She had spent all that time getting to know Zelgadiss, not only to become his friend, but to also let her sister know more about him. So why was she feeling as if she were losing a battle that hadn't yet been waged? Why did her chest feel so hollow at the thought of her sister and Zelgadiss…

Amelia turned her head to look out of the window while her sister did the same. Lost to their thoughts, the remainder of the drive home was in silence.

*****************************

A/N: Okay, so I wanted it to be lighter than this, but my angst-meter is still reading high levels. I can't transition this story to the lighter side without first dealing with some of the problems that I've brought up in the last few chapters. Now that the plot is thickening, much of the drama will still be present, but that doesn't mean that I can't have fun with it. After all, now that Naga's here, the fur will really fly! ^_^

Special thanks to those who've reviewed! **Scatter** (I'm glad you liked the fact that Ed and Amelia really became close friends. It just seems right, huh? ~_^), **Phizzy-Chan** (Amelia's birthday is coming up very soon, but our girl's got to deal with coming to terms with her feelings, the same way Zel does, and Naga's an important factor in all of that. After all, Ame _believes_ those two have a thing for each other), **Aisha C** (Oh, jealousy is flying all over the place! Second-guessing, misreading, and projecting emotions are all to blame, but will Zel and Ame get it together? Time will tell, but you know I'm Z/A all the way! *hugs*), **Cookie** (As one of my first reviewers, I really appreciate the fact that you've not only stuck with me through all of this, but that you still are enjoying it! The last few chapters were really key character-developing storylines, and they dealt with some tough issues that, unfortunately, are too true in society. If I do have a point to those chapters, it's that there should always be some kind of hope. After all, Amelia _is_ the main character. She's going to rub off on a lot of people! ^_^ *hugs*), **Ichiban Victory** (I feel honored that you checked up on the story when you were in a different state! Zel's got a lot of thinking to do, but unfortunately for Val, the kid's just a little _too_ close to the princess for his own good. This whole thing is making him think about his own past, though, and it will make itself known in good time ^_^), **minimerc** (New reviewer! I hope this chapter answered some of your questions. Zel doesn't know that he's got Ame's affections. After all, she's still trying to deny them because of Naga, but that will soon be remedied. ~_^), **Hitoshi-chan** (Another new reviewer! Hey, I'm just glad that you enjoyed the chapter! Yup, Rem is the Trigun Rem. After thinking about where Amelia could regain a positive outlook on life and the desire to grow and move on for justice and love and hope, who better than good ole Rem? Wen and Ed were from Bebop. ^_^), **Kaeru Shisho **(Okay, so Amelia's character is pretty well developed, I can move on past the angst... Yeah, right. ~_^ How about this chapter for at least touching on all those things? At least now we know more about Zel's connection to the whole 'conspiracy' as well as Phil and Naga's knowledge and Amelia's ignorance. The shadowy character is still lurking, but he'll be popping up more and more. Zel got burned – emotionally- by someone in his past, which will also help screw with his mind. He's jealous of Val and doesn't know how to handle it. Poor guy. Maybe I'll cut him some slack… Naw, it's way more fun this way! ^_^ *hugs*), **Raven Summerson** (Ed is so cool, isn't she? And flattery will get you everywhere! ~_^ I'm glad that you're enjoying it!), **jesphoenix05** (Okay, so not so much angst, not as much fluff as I'd like, a bit of intrigue… does going to the shooting range count as action? And see? I told you Jordan would be alright. ~_^), **Lina Gabriev** (Hey, I'm glad you're enjoying this! Yeah, we're getting back into the intrigue plot, and I hope this chapter answered some questions – and raised some more. Thanks a bunch!), **SithKnight-Galen** (Thank you! It's good to know that you like the way I've handled the characters and the situations. I think that there's a bit of a jaded quality to the characters that've gone through so much at such a young age that makes them say what's on their mind, yet a vulnerability that begs for comfort and acceptance. I'm glad you liked it. And I don't mind rambling at all. ~_^), **eedoe** (Oh, you poor thing. I hate it when things like that happen. Well, I'm relieved you understood the shift changes. Jumping back and forth like that is something I don't usually do, but it breaks up the monotony and keeps things from becoming too depressing. I'm happy you're enjoying it! *hugs*) By the way, another set of *hugs* to **eedoe** for being my 150th reviewer! Wow. Another milestone after 4 chapters… All you guys rock!

Click the button and review!


	23. Girls' Night Out

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

A/N: Sorry for the extended delay! Pathetic excuses are at the bottom of the page. To clear up some things that happen in this chapter, you might want to check out my side fic _Whaddya__ Mean, 'Lemonade'?_ since it will explain why some of the characters are acting a bit… differently than before. Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 23**

**_Girls' Night Out_**

****

"Come on, Tes. We're going out tonight."

Amelia looked up from her computer and experienced the strangest case of déjà vu. Didn't someone else say the same thing once? Blinking several times to clear her mind, she winced at the mere sight of her sister. Under her open robe, Gracia was wearing one of her latest fashions: a risqué piece that seemed to be a black leather bikini that covered very little and exposed a lot more. Amelia noted that she had a new tattoo of a white serpent on her hip, just above a thick black band on her thigh.

"Did you tell Daddy?"

"Of course not," she whispered. "He wouldn't let me out of the house dressed like this if he knew. Come on. Finish up your little game and meet me in my room in ten minutes."

She flounced away before Amelia could answer.

Turning her gaze back to the screen, Amelia frowned. This had been the first time in weeks that she had been able to play her computer game, and she had barely gotten started. Princess Mel, the recently deposed Crown Princess of the Lost Realm of Wingardium, had _just_ discovered a letter implicating the wicked tyrant, Paktor, of usurping her crown and enchanting her entire kingdom so that it only appears once every hundred years! After traveling throughout time and space, Mel only had twenty-four hours to make it to the enchanted Gates of Patronus to await the reappearance of Wingardium, and she needed to act quickly! Her kingdom needed saving…

An unjust feeling of resentment began to well up before she pushed it away with a sigh. After all, Gracia was visiting home specifically for _her_, so Amelia _should_ spend more time with her sister. Instead, though, she had locked herself up in her room when she got home from work, or made some kind of excuse so she wouldn't have to interact much with Gracia. Three days had passed since her arrival, and although Amelia had looked forward to spending some time with her big sis, she was now doing a fair job of avoiding her.

Saving her game and turning off the computer, Amelia poked her head out of her door and looked down the hallway. The light in her father's room was still on, and she knew that he was reading in bed before going to sleep. She glanced down at her watch. Eleven thirty. Knowing Daddy, he'd be turning off the light right about… now.

Sure enough, the light surrounding the door disappeared, plunging the far end of the hallway in darkness. Tiptoeing carefully across the hall, Amelia noiselessly opened Gracia's door and slipped inside.

"Is he asleep?" she asked, looking up from her vanity mirror.

"Just turned off the light."

"Good. He'll be snoring in five minutes. Here, I want you to try on that one," Gracia said, pointing to a short dark green dress laid out on the bed. She went back to the task of putting on makeup.

"We aren't going to do anything… illegal, are we?" Amelia wondered, remembering her recent trip down memory lane with Zelgadiss.

The sudden thought of her friend sent a wave of unease through her gut. She still had not yet heard from him, and her sister hadn't mentioned him since they picked her up from the airport. After all this time, what was Amelia going to do if these two didn't even get the chance to see each other? _Maybe that's for the best_, she thought with guilty satisfaction.

"Of course not. Though I can't guarantee that we won't cause heads to turn!" Naga said with a grin. "Besides, can't I spend some quality time with my little sister?"

Amelia's heart melted, and she wanted nothing more than to go out and have fun with her sister. How many years had she wanted to do something like this? How many times had she wished to be included in her sister's life, no matter how strange? They were both grown now, but deep down inside the adolescent feelings were still there. They hadn't had a heart-to-heart conversation since Anderson, and they had never gone out on the town anywhere together. Heck, even Lina had gone to Atlas City with _her_ sister not too long ago.

Amelia picked up the dress, trying to figure out the best way to get into the thing. It appeared to be form fitting, but there was no zipper. Black laces crisscrossed the front of it and tied at the top, but it appeared that it was purely for decoration. "How do I get into this, Gracia?" she asked, clearly confused.

Naga put down her makeup and stood, moving over to Amelia with a small smile. Taking the thin fabric in her hands, she looked down at the shorter girl. "See? It stretches," she said gently, pulling at the fabric. "It's like a catsuit. You should be able to squeeze into it; you're thin enough."

"It leaves nothing to the imagination, does it?"

"That's what my clothing line is all about, Tes," she whispered conspiratorially with a wink. "Show as much as you can without breaking the law."

"Gracia!" said Amelia, sounding scandalized, but the corner of her mouth was twitching into a grin. "Do you honestly think _I'd_ wear something like this?"

"This? This is nothing. I honestly think you'd not only wear that, but this as well…" In her hands was a matching green g-string, and she was delighted to see her sister blush. "There's a bra sewn into the dress, so here's your whole outfit."

Handing the two pieces to Amelia, she shoved her in the direction of the bathroom and then went about packing away several other bits and pieces of clothing into an overnight bag. Some makeup, some jewelry, some strappy sandals… what else? Oh. She pulled out an envelope and placed it on her bed, just in case her father found them missing, so he wouldn't freak out.

"I don't think this fits, Gracia." She turned around to look at her sister, and she couldn't help but smile. Amelia was tugging uselessly at the hem of the dress, which had the distinct tendency to ride up. "I think it's too short."

"No, it's perfect, Tes!" She began circling her, examining Amelia critically, pulling and stretching the fabric until it was exactly where it should be.

"It feels like my butt's hanging out…" she complained, trying to feel where the hem was in relation to her rear end: barely covering it.

"That's what it's supposed to do."

"How am I going to walk?"

She rolled her eyes. "Duh. Put one foot in front of the other."

"I don't know…"

Naga looked down at her watch. "Too late. Put on those low boots over there. With this short dress, they'll lengthen your legs. Come on. We're going through your room. Daddy took out the trellis below my window after I left, but the one below yours is still there. We can climb out and cut across to the pergola and jump down from there…"

Amelia finished pulling on her boots. "You want me to climb down in _this_?"

"Oh, stop complaining. You wanted to come, right? So let's go."

Without further ado, Naga tossed a thin black cape over her scant outfit and fastened it about her neck. She stuck her arms through two very cleverly concealed slits in the fabric, and then tied a thin belt loosely about her waist. It didn't do a thing to cover anything up, and neither did the thin green overcoat that she tossed to Amelia. However, it covered a bit more of her legs, and for that, the younger girl was thankful.

Amelia found herself sneaking back across the hall to her own room with her sister, where she picked up her little pink purse. Naga eyed it with distaste (it didn't match Amelia's outfit at all!) while Amelia eyed the small skull necklace at her sister's neck with distaste (it was so garish!), but neither said a word. The two managed to climb out the window, down the trellis, to the pergola, and to the ground with little difficulty. Amelia was just thankful that it was dark outside.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Amelia whispered to her sister as the two young women walked down the driveway and through the side gate. She shut it behind her with the barest of clicks.

Naga readjusted the bag on her shoulder and waited until they were at the end of the driveway before she answered. "We're going clubbing." She looked up and down the street as if she forgot something.

"And how are we going to get there?" Amelia wondered.

A pair of headlights up the street flashed at them, and Naga strode off purposefully towards it. With a shrug of her shoulders, Amelia followed her without another thought. As they approached the car, she noticed that it was a black limousine, and despite herself, her heart began to race.

_Was it Mister Zelgadiss?_

With her heart hammering in her chest with each step, she walked up to the vehicle as the driver stepped out and went around to open the back door for them. The person's form was slight, and in the darkness, Amelia couldn't make out any distinguishing features, but she could almost imagine that it was the way he stepped, the way he turned his head…

"No problems, Jennifer?" Naga asked, and the driver tugged off her cap.

An attractive young woman with short light brown hair and black-rimmed glasses smiled back at Naga as she opened the door for her. "None whatsoever, Naga. Everything's in place as you've asked."

Hoping no one would notice her red cheeks, Amelia lowered her head and followed her sister into the car. The sight that met her almost made up for the intense feeling of disappointment that she had been trying to squelch. Lina, Hitomi, Filia, Sylphiel, and Eva were all sitting in the limousine with huge grins on their faces, and when the door was shut behind her, they all yelled, "Surprise!"

"What's all this?" she laughed, the smile appearing despite her previous mood.

Lina was the one who spoke. "In exactly…" She glanced down at her watch. "…seven and a half minutes, you will officially be eighteen years old, and what better way to celebrate, than to go out and party!"

"But… but I thought you were going to do something _tomorrow_…"

Lina placed a fingertip on Amelia's nose. "That's why they call it a surprise," she whispered with a wink.

Hugs erupted, and for the next five minutes, the girls did a good job of speed-catching-up. All talking at once and over one another, they didn't notice Naga eyeing them each in turn and digging through the bag that she had brought with her. It wasn't until Eva turned to her that anyone remembered that she was there, quite a different experience for the eldest girl.

"Wow, you're Naga, the White Serpent, right? I really love your designs. They're so…"

"Showy?" Filia offered.

"Tasteless?" Lina asked.

But it was Amelia who got it right. "Barely legal?"

Naga slung an arm around her shoulders and made a show of being proud of her. "That's my sister!" she gushed unnecessarily. Amelia pushed her away with a laugh.

"Okay, ladies," Naga began, suddenly becoming serious. "Some of those dowdy outfits _just_ won't do at all for where we're going. Lina, didn't you tell them where we were going?"

"Of course I did. What's wrong with what we're wearing?"

She looked down at her own clothes and around at the other girls. Low-rider jeans and capris, dressy tank tops or tube tops, glittery make-up and flashy jewelry adorned them all. Club attire, certainly, but nothing that wouldn't get them stopped at the door or kicked out for any reason.

Naga sighed a long-suffering sigh.

"What you girls have on is fine for any run-of-the-mill club, but we're going to the _Citadel_. A _very_ good friend of mine _owns_ it, and it is the _pinnacle_ of fashion. Yesterday's fashions just are not acceptable. Besides, if Amelia and I will be wearing the latest White Serpent fashions, then _everyone_ with us needs to be as well." She elbowed Amelia, throwing her a wink.

Amelia debated about the unjustness of her sister's words… for exactly ten seconds, and then both she and Naga were advancing on the five girls with identical grins on their faces.

* * *

The loud thumping could be heard down the street from the huge concrete building in the fashionably hip section of Saillune. Bars, comedy clubs, and nightclubs of all kinds lined the popular Sunrise strip. Even on a work night, the streets were crowded with people clamoring to be admitted to the trendy clubs.

The limousine pulled up in front of the _Citadel_ and when the driver opened the door, people couldn't help but gawk. One attractive young woman after another stepped out of the back of the limo and into the warm night air. First, it was a girl with long deep purple hair and straight bangs that framed her pretty and demure face. A purple tunic dress with a Chinese-style collar and elaborate gold edging fit her like a glove, and the black and gold belt helped to accentuate her figure. Matching purple and gold boots and elbow-length gloves completed her look.

The next girl to emerge was clad in a low-cut pink bodice and white mini-skirt, with low white strappy sandals (though she would probably rather have had her trusty sneakers). One side of her short sandy brown hair was held back with a white feather barrette, and her beautiful ruby and gold pendant remained about her neck.

Next was perhaps the least amount of clothes someone could wear and _not_ get in trouble for indecency. A black bikini was the best way to describe it, and though the cape was a little much, dozens of onlookers made a mental note that it _was_ a cool outfit. Some people even recognized Naga, and a hush fell over the crowd while she surveyed the scene from behind her sunglasses. With a smirk, she waited with the other girls for the rest to emerge from the limousine.

Following her were two young women who made everyone who hadn't been paying attention turn in their direction, though they were probably wearing the most clothes so far. The taller of the two was a beautiful blonde; the only adornment to her knee-length hair was a simple pink and white fedora tilted fashionably over one eye. She was wearing pink shortalls with a matching white belt, gloves, and knee-high go-go boots. The other girl wore red-leather capris to match her red hair and a tight sky blue bodice with two sets of laces that went up and over her breasts, which were strategically covered with a pale linen-colored cloth that wrapped over and around. The free end of the cloth hung from her neck, a large ruby-colored stone hanging from the end. Black boots and white-fur-edged black gloves with matching bracelets with ruby-colored stones completed the girl's ensemble.

If anyone thought that would be the end of the fashion show, the two cute ones still remained. An exotic-looking girl with huge brown eyes and long wavy sable hair stepped out, clad in gold hotpants, a dark russet halter-top beneath a mesh blouse, gold gladiator sandals, and a thin chain that attached to her collar necklace, snaked around her body and her right leg and attached to her anklet. Turning around and giving a hand to the last girl, many of the young men watching the parade stooped for a closer look.

Upon a growl from the redhead, they backed off.

Finally, a girl appeared in the shortest of short green dresses that accentuated the fact that she was hardly just a girl. The material stretched and moved as she stepped forward to join her friends. Her simple jewelry kept the attention she was attracting where the fashion designer intended it to be. On her assets…

Although she was out with her girlfriends for a well-deserved girls' night out, Amelia felt as if she had a personal entourage with her. Was this how her sister felt whenever she went anywhere? People always staring and gawking at her? Now, Amelia was hardly the type to be self-conscious about her looks, especially after having been well gifted from a very young age. Though she never flaunted her appearance, she also never felt the need to hide herself from the world. So, taking a deep breath, she figured she would have a blast with her friends and party with her sister. She was finally legal, after all.

The doors were opened for them, and the music intensified when they stepped inside the club. Pounding music thumped in time with the changing lights and the mass of surging bodies on the dance floor. A DJ was on the far side of the room, and twin bars were located on either side of the floor. Amelia was about to head over to dance when her sister yelled over the music.

"Keep together, girls! We're going upstairs!" After a few curious glances at each other, they followed Naga, who was able to cut a swath through the crowd with her presence. Everyone made way for the White Serpent, and surprisingly enough, no one stepped on her cape.

She led them to an alcove guarded by an imposing man dressed in black. When Naga stepped up to him, he nodded at her and allowed the girls to trail her up the stairs like a row of ducklings. Amelia was impressed by the popularity and power her sister had, and was glad that she was able to be happy. Gracia had a way about her that commanded attention and awe, and she seemed to bask in it. Amelia was content to be a rough and tumble girl, but knew that much was expected of her and was more than ready to step up to the challenges of life. After all, she had been through the wringer before. She could survive anything.

At the top of the steps was a pair of glass doors with a stylized castle and dragon etched into the panes, and the door handles were two golden dragons flying skyward. As they stepped through the doors, it was as if Amelia had stepped into a movie set. One whole wall was made up of glass panels to afford the guests of the special suite a view of the dance floor below. Black leather couches and lounging chairs were scattered throughout the suite, and a private bar and bartender was in one corner. But the thing that caught most of the girls' attention was the fantastic buffet spread out before them that took up one whole wall.

Crab legs, lobster tails, shrimp cocktails, finger sandwiches, cold-cut appetizers, bruschetta with spinach and artichoke dip, fresh and roasted vegetables, honey-glazed baked ham, rotisserie chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, a tureen of spicy tomato soup, Caesar salad, garden salad, and half a dozen dressings adorned one side of the wall, while bite-sized pastries, fresh fruits, jello, parfaits, puddings, cheesecakes, mousses, and a large single-layer birthday cake adorned the other side.

If Amelia was ecstatic, then Lina was in heaven. Amelia hardly noticed the huge sign that read, "Happy 18th Birthday, Amelia," hanging over the food, as she and Lina and Naga attacked the buffet with gusto. The other girls, used to their friends' behavior, hung back for a minute before following suit and enjoying the spread. Most tried not to eat too much since their outfits wouldn't allow for much room to expand, but that did not seem to affect Lina, Amelia or Naga. They were the type of girls who were able to eat everything and not gain a pound.

Surprisingly, even after everyone had gorged herself, there was still food left over for later.

"Happy birthday, Amelia!" each girl said with a hug, and she began to feel as if nothing could go wrong to spoil her night. Good friends, good food, and good fun.

"A toast!" Naga cried, and signaled over the bartender. He was a very cute young man with soulful brown eyes, messy auburn hair and a goatee. Everyone sighed at the sight of him as he passed around a tray with several shot glasses of a brown drink with a topping of whipped cream.

"How are we supposed to drink this?" Hitomi asked.

Lina snickered to herself, but it was Naga who answered. "You have to down it all at once. Yes, the whipped cream, too. Just put your mouth around it. No! Wait for everyone first…" Each girl held the drink carefully in her hands as Naga continued her toast. "Here's to my little sister, Tes… er… Amelia. You've come a long way and you've really grown into your own. I'm very proud of you. I think you're still the best little sister anyone can ask for, and… I love you."

Amelia felt like crying, and she very nearly did. The last time her sister had said those words, it was at Anderson. Although _she_ was very demonstrative when it came to expressing her affection, Gracia was not. Those moments were few and far between, so Amelia treasured those more than the letters or the visits. She settled for giving her a big Seyruun-style hug.

"To Amelia!" Naga said when she released her. She lifted her shot glass in cheers, and each girl fought to try to shoot the drinks. Each one had differing levels of accomplishment, but only Naga, Lina, and Amelia were successful in downing the liquid in the first shot.

Giggling, Lina glanced at Naga who nodded. Lina turned to Amelia and fought to keep a straight face when she asked, "So, Amelia. How was your first 'Blowjob'? It _was_ your first, wasn't it?"

Confusion crossed her features as it took her a moment to realized that she was referring to the drink, but everyone had begun to laugh and she joined in. "I should ask you that, Miss Lina!" she bantered back, and they all went into giggle fits once again.

"Come on, let's dance!" Amelia yelled, pumping her fist into the air, and the other girls joined in.

They thundered down the stairs and onto the dance floor. They were all satisfied to dance in a circle with each other, oblivious to the stares of envy or appreciation they were attracting. Amelia was content to let the music flow over and through her, with its soothing rhythmic tones beating in time with her heart. She closed her eyes and lifted her face to the multicolored lights as she writhed with the music, bathing herself in the pulsating song. Slowly, while the thumping droned on as one song melted flawlessly into the next, one by one, different girls began to disappear from the group. First, it was Naga, who had been approached by a tall smarmy-looking man and wandered off with him to the bar. Then, Sylphiel disappeared, followed by Lina, and then the others. By the time she realized it, Amelia was left dancing alone in the midst of the rocking crowd.

"Where did everyone go?" she asked no one in particular when she opened her eyes. Hitomi was dancing with Van, Eva was dancing with Brian, Lina was dancing with Gourry, Sylphiel was dancing with Val, and Filia was dancing with Xelloss?!

Amelia stopped dancing, her mouth hanging open, not only at the fact that her other friends were there, but at the fact that Xelloss was dancing with Filia! Well, he moved on pretty quickly, didn't he? She guessed they didn't need her matchmaking after all. Trying not to feel foolish for dancing by herself, she was about to retreat to the sidelines when a strong hand wrapped around her waist.

"Val!" she said, surprised and delighted that he had come to her rescue. His hair was spiked up with his trademark black headband in place, and he was dressed fashionably in loose light trousers and a shiny black shirt. Looking back, Amelia saw that Sylphiel was dancing with someone else and giving her a tiny wave. She smiled as Val placed his hand on her hip, and they began to sway in time with the music.

"Happy birthday, Amelia," he said in her ear, and she gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you! But what are you doing here? I thought it was going to be a girls' night out."

He winked at her. "I've got my sources."

She wrinkled her nose. "Miss Filia told you."

"Naw, I heard her tell Xelloss over the phone, and when I asked her what the hell she was doing, _then_ she told me. Besides, she needed help getting the food set up, so I volunteered for that."

Amelia grinned as he spun her around, and her eyes caught sight of her sister at the bar, holding up a blue drink in cheers to her. On the second pass around, she found her sister again, but her heart stopped at the sight of a man talking with her. Was that Zelgadiss???

"What's wrong, Amelia?" Val asked, worried over the change in her expression. He took her hand and led her out of the crowd and to the sidelines.

"Nothing," she lied, trying not to look him in the eye.

He lifted her chin to look at him. "Come on. You can't fool _me_. Remember?"

She swallowed hard. Val was really the last person she wanted to tell, but she kept the hope that he had really moved on. As she opened her mouth to finally tell someone about her conflicting emotions about her newest friend, a waitress tapped her on the shoulder and offered her a blue drink.

"This is from the lady at the bar," she explained as she handed it to Amelia.

"Thanks," she said as the waitress went back to work. She shrugged her shoulders at Val's questioning glance, and raised the drink to her mouth.

A hand suddenly appeared on the glass, and Amelia's lips closed on it instead of the rim. Pulling away quickly, her eyes traveled up the hand to the arm to the face, and for the third time that night, Amelia's heart leapt into her throat.

"Z… Zelgadiss?"

"Excuse me, Amelia," he muttered, taking away her drink and looking very serious. He walked towards the bar, his eyes scanning the patrons in search of anyone suspicious.

"Hey," Val said, getting irritated at the rude behavior. "What're you doing?"

Ignoring him, Zel quickly and deftly produced a thin strip of paper and dipped it into the drink. Fascination and curiosity overcoming their agitation, Amelia and Val followed closely and watched as the strip of paper went from white to bright pink.

"Damn," Zelgadiss growled to himself, seeming to have forgotten that he had company.

"What is it, Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia asked, her head peeking around his arm.

He glanced down at her in surprise. His gaze traveled up to the guy with her and his hand about her waist. Zelgadiss suppressed a scowl. "Someone tampered with this drink," he said, pouring it out into a nearby trashcan.

He took two steps back towards the bar to ask the bartender and the waitress more questions about anyone shady who may have been lurking around when he felt a strong hand on his arm, pulling him back to face the young woman in the dress that was way too short.

"Mister Zelgadiss! Aren't you even going to say 'hello' to me? I haven't seen or heard from you in weeks…"

"Hello, then." He turned to go. Damn, he needed to keep moving. Who knows how far some idiot with rohypnol would go…?

Now, there were many things that Amelia had learned to accept in the world. Lina was hot-blooded and quick-tempered. Gourry had a memory like a leaky sieve. Filia was always so busy with her goal to help and save people. But along with what people saw on the surface, she had also learned that each person had a different side that would come out on occasion. Lina was thoughtful of people's feelings and was very gentle. Gourry was insightful and could see what other people did not. Filia had a temper that could dwarf Lina's and she was stronger than she appeared.

Amelia had just discovered that Zelgadiss was the same. The only problem was: was he normally caring and fun with the gruff side, or was he normally abrasive with a soft side? Amelia silently hoped that the side that she had seen before was the way he really was, and that the crappy way he was acting now was just that: an act.

He pulled his arm free and continued walking away. And there went Val, tapping him on the shoulder and asking him what his problem was. And there's Zel, sizing him up. Two puffing cocks ready to fight. What a stupid display of male territorialism! What was it with guys, anyway? Well, dammit, she had a different side to her as well!

Scowling, Amelia grabbed both men's arms and stalked off, dragging them along behind her, despite their obvious reluctance. She nodded at the guard at the alcove as she passed, not noticing his raised eyebrow at the fact that the little one was the one with _two_ guys in tow. She continued up the steps and into the suite where her friends were mingling and chatting as if nothing was wrong.

She shoved the men in front of her, and when the door closed, they both appeared to have realized that they were being idiots and had the decency to _look_ remorseful. The defiant stare that she was shooting them put them in their place, and neither challenged that look. Val wandered off towards the buffet table with a backwards glare at the other man, and Zelgadiss seemed to deflate.

"I'm sorry, Amelia," he apologized, trying to retain a shred of dignity. "It looked like someone put rohypnol in your drink. I just wanted to see if I could catch him…"

"Are you here on duty?" He became very still at that question, but she didn't seem to notice as she continued, "Because if you're not, then just let security know. They'll alert the bartenders and waitresses to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious."

She called the bartender over then, and had Zelgadiss explain the whole incident from downstairs. With an angry look, the bartender nodded and returned to his station to phone the main bartender.

"There. Problem solved. But that still doesn't explain why you haven't returned my call or come by the store…" She pouted cutely, and he was hard-pressed to keep up his bad-tempered façade.

"I've been… busy," he muttered, trying not to grovel. "Er… Happy birthday, by the way."

She couldn't help but smile as she finally got a good look at him without the distracting blue and red lights from the dance floor. A shiny white button-up shirt, partly open, with a black blazer and black slacks was certainly nondescript, but was it club attire? Amelia tilted her head in thought.

"Do you go clubbing here often?" She could have sworn he turned red, but it could just as easily have been a trick of the light.

He scratched at his temple. "Um… Xelloss dragged me along."

"Really? You two are friends again?"

"Yeah…"

Luckily, he was saved from further questions by the arrival of Naga dragging Filia and Xelloss behind her. She did not look happy. In fact, the expression on her face told Amelia that her big sis was absolutely livid, and the elder Seyruun girl hardly ever let anything get to her that badly.

After shoving the pair towards the nearest couch, Naga stepped in front of the large picture windows to address everyone. She was an imposing sight: her eyes were flashing in anger, her fists were on her hips, her long black cape was framing her tall, and barely dressed, form. "You all weren't supposed to bring your boyfriends," she spat at the group.

Only two couples opened their mouths to deny the allegation.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Lina and Filia blurted out, while Gourry and Xelloss insisted, "She's not my girlfriend!"

The four glared at each other with suspicion, but Naga brought the topic back at hand. "What did you all _not_ understand about 'girls' night out'? This was _supposed_ to be women only… _Lina_," she accused.

If Gourry could have hidden from Naga behind Lina, he would have, but the young woman placed a reassuring hand on his knee. "Well, Naga, you didn't really specify…" Lina laughed it off.

"And we needed help with the catering, Miss Naga," Filia piped in, a hand on Xelloss' chest behind her. It was clear that he was probably ready to put in his own two cents worth and that Filia was the only thing stopping him.

Brian and Eva were too busy making out in a corner to notice what was going on. Hitomi appeared contrite when she mumbled, "Van was the one who gave me a ride to Lina's house, so I _had_ to tell him."

Sylphiel was really the only one innocent of the accusation, so she was happy enough to sit with a plate of sweets, munching quietly and watching the action. Val was lounging beside her, eating as well. Between the two, they were a captive audience.

Naga continued to rant. "I came all the way out here, _just_ for Amelia's birthday, and specifically to coordinate all of _this_ on_ your_ request, Lina! 'Yeah, let's do a surprise party at a cool club! Only girls!' Isn't that what you said?"

She moved over to the glass doors and with a flick of her wrist, she locked them and motioned Amelia over. "So, here's what we're going to do," she said, slinging an arm around her sister's shoulders. Amelia was touched that Gracia was going out of her way to make her night fun, but yelling wasn't making things better. Thankfully, her voice dropped down to a sneer. "We _are_ going to have a 'girls' night out', and all of you are going to join in."

A sudden chill seemed to pass though the room at her words as the men glanced uneasily back and forth amongst themselves. No way. There was no way she could mean what they were thinking she meant…

"Roman!" Naga yelled, snapping her fingers, and the waiter opened the door to a side room. He dragged out a large box and placed it carefully beside her. Then he pulled a tall dressing screen from the room and set it up in the corner.

Xelloss was the first to try to abandon his post, but Filia snagged him with a grin before he got too far. Zelgadiss, being the closest to the door, actually had the chance to shake the handle, but Naga dangled the key in front of them all. With a sly smile, she placed it securely in her cleavage and silently dared anyone to try to retrieve it. For a moment, Val appeared to consider it when he approached her, but his smug look quickly dissolved when she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the screen, yelling for her sister to find a suitable outfit for him.

Until that point, Van, Brian and Gourry hadn't quite understood the gravity of the situation, but at the wicked gleam in Hitomi's, Eva's, and Lina's eyes, the three men began to stumble over each other to escape.

Zelgadiss watched on in horror as one by one, his friends, acquaintances, and perfect strangers fell to the evil machinations of such bloodthirsty fiends disguised as beautiful women…

* * *

He wanted to die.

How absolutely humiliating to be forced to do something as horrendous as… dressing up in, not just women's clothing, but women's _skimpy_ clothing! And if that wasn't degrading enough, then the makeup and the killer shoes most certainly were!

_Kill me now…_

Zelgadiss sat unmoving as Amelia applied the last of his makeup to his face. Even through all of their protesting and cursing, these seven women still somehow managed to overpower and _force_ six men into such outfits. If there was a bright side to this whole fiasco (and Zel was having a _really_ tough time finding a bright side), then it was that they had left all the guys' hair alone… all except Gourry and that stupid punk kid.

Gourry's hair, being long, blond, and well conditioned, was the perfect canvas for creative hairstyles. Lina was showing Naga how she was tying his hair just _so_, in twin pigtail buns with long tails reaching down past his waist. The older woman was presently lounging on a chaise in a corner, being fanned by Roman and served by Jim, the bartender, and looking for all the world like some sort of Nile goddess. Filia was busy putting the finishing touches on Xelloss, who was dressed in a high-cut fire-engine-red Chinese dress. Disgusting. The freak was actually enjoying this… Hitomi and Eva were busy putting makeup on their boyfriends, trading colors and trying out different shades of lipsticks. The poor saps. Sylphiel was fussing over Val's hair, combing it out of its spikes and brushing it down to frame his face. He looked so pretty… NOT!

"You've got such nice eyes, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia whispered to him, drawing him from his reverie. She was very close, putting something dusty over his eyelids. If he weren't blushing so much and trying not to look at her, he would have seen the rosy hue touching her own cheeks without the aid of rouge.

"Let me out of here, please, Amelia?" he tried.

With a stern look, she shook her head. "It wouldn't be fair of me to let only _you_ go, and I can't very well let you _all_ leave. Gracia would be mad. At least I didn't mess up your hair (though that black hair band would look really good on you…). And besides, I picked an outfit for you that covered you up more than the other ones."

He looked down at his dress. True enough, it covered his arms with long purple sleeves and his legs with a long pale periwinkle dress. Hands covered with pale gloves, feet covered with matching heeled boots. _Just think of it as an undercover job. That's all, Greywords. An undercover… job._ With a guilty glance at Amelia, who was rummaging through Naga's cosmetics bag, his heart dropped just below his over-stuffed bra. _It's just a job…_

The girl of his thoughts smiled brightly as she produced a hand mirror and showed him her handiwork. Once the initial shock of seeing himself as a woman wore off, he began to appreciate the fact that he had Amelia working on him. It was like looking at his twin sister, if he had one.

"What do you think?" she asked.

He frowned. _I don't want to answer that, _he thought.

She placed her forefinger to her lips. "Well, I know what you _really_ think, but what do you think about the makeup? I tried to use powder to even out your skin tone and light shades for your eyes and lips. You don't need much blush…" she trailed off and dug into the clothing box once again. She produced a black hair band with a huge fake red gem attached to it. With a smile, Amelia placed it gently in his hair. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. It gives just that pop of color. What do you think?" she repeated.

_It's a headset, that's all. I'm undercover with a headset… _"Good," he grumbled as his eyes roamed the room to take in the progress of the other slaves.

Lina was putting the finishing touches on Gourry, who was wearing a pink frilly dress and a red choker around his neck. Neither of them seemed to recognize the fact that he was twice her size and could easily overpower her and bolt. Ah, that was just the way of things. Zel could hardly bear to watch his friend fall to such horrible acts of cruelty, but he was just glad that it wasn't him.

"All finished ladies?" Naga asked from her place of power. She regally swept aside her cape and stood, bouncing enough to get the males' attention. Each one had to be nudged, or in some cases, slapped, to get their eyes back where they belonged. A difficult enough task, especially when Naga retrieved the key from its hiding place.

"Then let's party!" she yelled, throwing a fist into the air.

Amelia was the first to follow suit, bouncing along to follow her sister, dragging an even more reluctant Zelgadiss along behind her. Soon, the whole herd was stampeding down the stairs and onto the dance floor. If their first entrance made heads turn, their re-appearance was a crowd-stopper. The women had done such a good job on the men that even the guys were on the receiving end of many leers and catcalls.

The commotion died down soon enough, as the music infiltrated everyone's bodies. Nodding in time with the beat, Zelgadiss was hardly surprised when Amelia began to dance with him, but he _was_ surprised by how she was dancing. Sure, he had a brief glimpse of her earlier dancing with Val, but here she was, writhing in front of him the same way. She definitely hadn't danced like this at her party!

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, he began to edge away from her when Lina rushed over to their side. "Hey, guys, check it out!" she giggled. "Some guy's hitting on Gourry!"

Sure enough, a very large man was holding their friend's hand, begging him for a dance. Val and Van were snickering at his misfortune, that was, until a couple of guys came over to hit on them as well, turning them as green as Val's hair. Zel felt a strange amount of satisfaction seeing him squirm like that. Filia and Xelloss were beginning to bicker again, but they were keeping a respectable distance from each other as they danced, and that was saying something. She wasn't hitting him, and he was keeping his hands where they belonged.

"Poor Mister Gourry," Amelia was saying. "Do you think we should help him?"

"Naw, this is good for him!" Lina laughed. "Maybe it'll make him appreciate what we women have to put up with when we go out."

Zel smirked. "Or maybe it will make you jealous enough to keep him closer, Lina."

She rounded on him so quickly, that the red gem on her outfit swung all the way around her neck. "I'm gonna knock you into next week, Zel…" she warned.

Amelia stepped in front of her with a nervous smile. "Come on, Miss Lina. You should make sure that man doesn't grope Mister Gourry…" She shot a smile back to Zelgadiss as she gently pushed Lina away to save their friend.

_So she put herself in the line of fire to divert Lina's attention…_

"Amelia, can I buy you a drink to make up for the one I dumped out?" he asked her, hoping it didn't sound too much like a pick-up line. She rewarded him with a smile, and placed her hand in the crook of his arm as they walked to the bar. "One Fosters, and…"

"A Malibu Baybreeze. please." The bartender nodded and began to fix their drinks. Zel reached for his wallet only to realize that he was in a dress, and he had just patted his rear end.

"I was holding it for you," Amelia said, pushing his wallet into his hand. She was smiling widely, showing her purse. With a wink, she continued, "That's why we carry these things, you know."

He paid the bartender, they received their drinks, and they wandered over to one of the little tables beside the dance floor. They watched the couples dancing to the seductive salsa and grinned at the 'women' dancing together nearby. Apparently, Lina had saved Gourry and was now busy playing with the ends of his hair as they were dancing.

"You should know by now that Miss Lina doesn't like to talk about relationship stuff," Amelia lightly scolded Zelgadiss, but her eyes suddenly became dreamy. "But you should have seen her when he went through that hostage thing. She's been talking about him more, and she's been spending more time with him. It's there. She just doesn't want to talk about it."

Zel was smirking, knowing full well that this was the case. If Gourry was too forward with her, he wasn't sure if their relationship would blossom or wither. The only thing he could do was wait her out and pick up any clues that he could. In the meantime, the two would date, without calling it a date. No, they weren't boyfriend/girlfriend just yet.

Zelgadiss began to think about the time he had been spending with Amelia, and even now about the drinks he was having with her. He would never call it a date, either, but would other people see it that way? Would she?

"Speaking of relationship stuff," he began, wondering if he should just leave now before he put his foot in his mouth. His curiosity got the better of him, no matter how much he wanted to remain neutral. "I didn't mean to separate you from your date. You don't have to sit with me to keep me company." He lowered his head slightly so his long bangs covered his eyes, but did not obscure his vision, and he waited to see her reaction.

The confusion on her face as she stopped in mid-sip gave him pause, but she set the glass down before he could amend his statement. "What date? I came with all the girls."

He tried to appear nonchalant. "Oh, I thought Val met up with you here the way the others did."

A slight wrinkle appeared between her brows. "He did, but I didn't know that any of you would be here. I told you that I'm not dating anyone right now." She continued to drink her cocktail.

Zelgadiss was saved the embarrassment of having to reply when a sudden commotion from behind them pushed its way into their table, causing it to rock dangerously. "Hey!" he yelled, deftly scooping up his beer with one hand and catching a fleeing girl with the other. She was dressed fairly conservatively for the club atmosphere, in a long-sleeved white shirt and a long pleated dark skirt. At first, he thought he had caught Sylphiel, but upon second glance he discovered that it was someone completely different, though their looks were very similar.

"Help me, please!" she begged him. The beginnings of a bruise were appearing on her cheek, and Zel frowned. The fear in her pretty eyes sparked his protective instincts, and he pushed her gently behind him. Three men were advancing on them, but to Zel, they were nothing but thugs.

"Hey, precious, I thought you didn't like to play with others," the taller one was saying, trying to leer at her from around Zel. "But I like the ones you brought us to. How about it, hone…"

The guy had the unfortunate luck to pick the wrong 'girl' to place a hand on. The second his hand touched Zel's rear end, he was kissing the scuffed-up floor with a sharp knee in his back.

"Hey, bitch!" another one yelled at him, but Amelia easily stepped in his way and tripped him up, swinging her leg out to catch him in the gut as he went down.

"That's not a very nice thing to say!" she yelled over the music. "'No' means 'no', got it?"

Zelgadiss looked up to see her glaring down at the second guy, and he couldn't help but admire the spark of righteous anger in her flashing blue eyes. Leave it to Amelia to become indignant on someone else's behalf. The smirk that was appearing on his face quickly turned to a frown when a hand closed upon her shoulder. Damn, he forgot about the third one.

Amelia turned at the sharp pain in her shoulder and found herself looking up into an angry pair of black eyes. "You should mind yer own business, you little cu…"

"Don't," Zel growled at the man. "Don't even _think_ of finishing that sentence." Amelia hadn't seen him move, but there he was, with a broken bottle at the man's throat. There was a strange gleam in his eye as he patted down the guy's pockets and suddenly produced a blister pack of pills.

"Amelia, call security over here. I think we might have found the guys who drugged your drink."

The way the man paled was confirmation enough for Zel, and he used the attention that they had attracted work in his favor. He sat each man on a chair and had the crowd watch him until security arrived. Several women were only too happy to take the job, and an angry mob formed a wall around the three lechers.

"Are you alright?" he asked the girl who had sparked the fight. The fear in her eyes was replaced by gratitude, and she took his hand, shaking it vigorously.

"I am now. Thank you so much. I don't know what I'd have done if you weren't there…"

"Well, you're okay now… um…"

"Miwan," she said with a bright smile that lit up her face. Zel felt a blush creep up his neck and he fought to suppress it.

"Zelgadiss."

"Thank you again, so much, Miss Zelgadiss," she said, and only then did Zel remember that he was dressed in drag.

Damn.

"Well… er… you see…"

"Security's coming, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia said upon her return, and he felt like crawling under a rock. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine, Amelia."

"You're a…" Miwan was saying. He was saved the embarrassment of trying to explain when security arrived. Grateful that he could speak with them about what had happened, he left the two women alone.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Amelia asked her, concerned about the girl's well-being.

"Yes, I am, thanks to Zelgadiss. Um… is it… ah… well, is Zelgadiss a man?"

Surprise and then amusement lightened Amelia's mood, and she answered in an emphatic affirmative. "You see, he and a few of my other friends showed up here…"

Zelgadiss stepped forward and offered Miwan his card, interrupting whatever it was that Amelia was about to say. "Miwan, if you'd like to press charges, you can. Just give me a call, and I can put you in touch with an officer who can help you. But if you do, just don't let too many days go by. The sooner you do, the better."

"Thank you so much… Mister Zelgadiss?" she asked tentatively.

He groaned. Why fight it? "Yes."

"Oh, that's okay," she said with a wink. "Are you a police officer, too?"

The bar area was being cleaned of broken glass while the three men were taken to the security office, and while Zelgadiss and Miwan continued to talk. They had effectively left Amelia out of the conversation. Hot waves of jealousy flared up in her chest, but Amelia attributed her sudden bad mood to the fact that she was tired. It was almost two in the morning after all. With a frown, she left the two alone and retreated to the safety of the private suite.

* * *

Val found her a few minutes later, curled up on the couch, several empty glasses on the coffee table in front of her. Jim was the only other person in the suite, and he merely shrugged at Val's challenging stare. Well, the guy was only doing what he was paid to do. How could he have known that Amelia should _not_ have been drinking alone?

"You shouldn't be spending your first day of being legal wallowing in it, Amelia."

"Shove it."

"You should have told _him_ that."

Turning her glare at him, she sat up straight. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't, but I do. Come on. It's your birthday. Screw him. Let's go have some fun. What do you say?"

Doubt flickered across her face for the briefest of instances, and though it pained him to see it, he did not want to see her sad. He held out his hand to her.

"Come on, Princess. Let's show all these clowns what _real_ dancing is like."

Though her smile did not reach up to her eyes, they brightened just a bit, and Val and Amelia were downstairs in a flash, hand in hand. Lina and Filia immediately noticed that something was wrong with their young friend, but when Val waved them off, they forced themselves to be content with merely watching her. Lina made a mental note to question Amelia when they were alone. Nothing was going to hurt her friend if she could help it.

Val's hands roved up and down Amelia's body as they danced, filling themselves on the sensual music flaring around them. Amelia lost herself to the rhythm and the familiarity of dancing with Val, remembering their Salsa lessons from a couple of years ago. Val was right. She shouldn't have been wallowing. Her mind sought the solace of something other than the oblivion of alcohol, and she found the comfort of an old friend rather satisfying.

Had she seen the murderous look in Zelgadiss' eyes at seeing her dancing so seductively with Val, she may have also found _that_ rather satisfying as well. As it was, only Xelloss had seen his friend's jealous glare, while he was waiting for Filia to return from the restroom. And he was right about the object of his ire being a certain perky young lady dirty dancing with a no-account good-for-nothing bastard. Although it was always fun to watch Zel squirm, Xelloss decided that he would help Zelgadiss after all. Perhaps hating Val with a passion was another thing the two had in common. So with a smirk, he approached Naga with a proposition…

* * *

A pair of green eyes had followed the group's progress throughout the night, watching Amelia's interactions with her friends. First that green-haired guy danced so familiarly with her, and then the guy with the lavender hair commanded her time and attention. A mental note made, they followed her progress throughout the night, and ultimately darkened when they saw a familiar face.

_What was his name again? Oh, yeah. Xelloss… What the hell was **he** doing here?_

* * *

A/N: So sorry for this chapter taking so long! Um… My dog ate my computer… or, I lost my passwords… or, well, I just suck. As many of you know, I've been recently 'promoted' meaning much more responsibility and much more work. I'm usually so tired when I get home that I barely have enough time to eat dinner and spend some quality time with my husband and son before it's off to bed. I've been trying to catch up on reading, as well, but that's only when I can have a spare minute. There just aren't enough hours in the day… I'm in a bit of a funk right now, so try to understand if I get to be a bit angsty in the near future. _Le sigh_…

A million thanks to those of you who've stuck by me and have continued to read (and review – hint hint) and a special thanks to my beta _hugs. _You're the best!

**Aisha**** C** (Thank you! I know this wasn't the birthday dinner Amelia had in mind, but I hope you found it fun nonetheless!), **Kaeru**** Shisho** (I like the thought of Zel's protectiveness of Amelia from the series translating itself here. He didn't really have a reason in the anime - other than life and death situations - but here, he does – with the desired effects. _winks_Val, Val, Val… poor guy. But don't worry. I've got some fun plans for him), **Ichiban Victory** (Suspicious people are _always_ in black vehicles! _remembers Amelia's insistence that Halcyform was a fraud... grins_ Naga's here to liven things up and to resolve – or not – the whole Zel/Naga debate. Don't worry. I'll explain things more in the next chapter! And you're right: Val better run…), **Phizzy-chan** (I think Amelia's still trying to deny her emerging feelings since she's positive that he's got a thing with her sister. After all, it wouldn't be very just of her to be interested in him if he's already spoken for. _winks_), **Valk** (Thank you! Now that the cat's out of the bag, it's up to Zel to decide how to handle the whole situation. Let's just hope he's smart enough to be… considerate), **blue lady** (Hey, you're back! Yes, you were one of my first reviewers, and I'm glad that you're still with me! Thank you so much for letting me know how I'm doing, and I'm glad that you think I'm doing a good job. Misunderstandings make up for the most interesting situations, so there will be a few more until these guys decide to spend time to really talk. Thanks again, & I look forward to hearing from you again), **Hitoshi-chan** (Thanks! I'm trying to keep everyone IC, but of course there's bound to be some OOC-ness. This chapter probably had much more of that, but there's a reason for everything. Naga and Zel's story will come out in the next chapter, so that will clear up some things, and open up a brand new can of worms! _grins_), **Scatter** (Hey there! Yeah, the mysterious characters will pop up now and again, but for now, they're plotting and scheming. More action to come!), **SithKnight****-Galen** (Thank you! Ooh, I love the snake references! Xelloss' plotting is a bit of lucky circumstances, but he's got his sources, and he's not averse to digging around for dirt on people, so I wouldn't be surprised if he knew more about things than he's letting on. Naga's arrival, Zel's brief disappearance, and the mystery man's lurking about… Next chapter should be fun. _grins_), **hysteria82** (I know I thanked you, but thank you again!!! I'm really glad that you're still enjoying!), **jesphoenix05** (Poor Zel's blinded by being too close to his charge. No wonder he took off to get his head on straight. Too bad it didn't really work. _winks_), **minimerc** (Thanks! Yeah, a plot is developing slowly, but the mysterious characters will remain in the shadows until… well, that's a secret!), **eedoe** (I was hungry when I wrote that last chapter… _winks _No matter how much Zel tries to deny it, or how much he tries to hide from it, he just can't help but think about Amelia – but this chapter should give you some indication of how he thinks of Gracia. And though I tried, _you_ write a much better seductive dance club scene. _grins_ BTW, Amelia's video game was for you!), **Lina Gabriev** (Ah, Zel went off to work off his frustrations – in ch. 5 of WML – and then… well, that's for another time. The shady characters will continue to pop up until they decide to act. We'll see what happens!), **katy** (Thank you! Sorry to keep you waiting, but I'm glad you liked it!), **Samantha** (Well, thank you for giving them a try! I'm glad you're enjoying them all, and I hope you liked this latest chapter as well.)

_Hugs_ to you all, and don't forget to review!


	24. Be Careful What You Wish For

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 24**

**_Be Careful What You Wish For_**

****

Zelgadiss slowly came to consciousness, his ears automatically trying to pick up the normal sounds of his neighborhood: the distant sound of the ocean, the cry of circling seagulls, and the silent hush of a passing car. What his mind registered, however, was the unwelcome grating of someone snoring. Someone very close…

His blue-green eyes shot open, and he found himself completely and utterly disoriented. Where the hell was he? White and blue sheets and pillows… A white end table with a clock that read 8:35… A kitchenette just beyond a low wall…

And someone snoring gently, right behind him.

_Oh, shit… what the hell…?_

What did he do last night? Um… ah… Amelia's party. And then he met that pretty girl, Miwan.

_Oh crap…_

No! Wait. She left soon after the whole incident, and then he was alone, sitting and watching everyone dancing. Watching Amelia dancing with Val. Then Xelloss wandered over with a couple of drinks…

Zelgadiss sighed in relief. Now it was all coming back to him. Amelia refused to allow anyone who drank to drive home. Xelloss disappeared with Filia before Amelia found out, leaving Zel stranded, and nearly giving Val a coronary. The kid went ballistic when he found out that his foster sister had left with the detested man. Then Naga invited everyone to stay over if they wanted, and…

He turned his head, ever slowly and ever so slightly to peek behind him. He let out a slow breath. The snoring was coming from Gourry, who was passed out cold on the bed in the room behind him, his hair loose, but still wavy from Lina's intricate hairdo. Zel wiped a hand over his lips and was more than relieved that they came away lipstick-free. He remembered that, just like Gourry, he had taken a shower as soon as he could so he could free himself of the girls' evil. After dressing in a 'guest clothes package' of brand new sweat pants and a t-shirt, he had collapsed on the futon in the apartment above the garage at Amelia's house.

Another fuzzy memory surfaced and he frowned. He made a mental note to get back at Xelloss some way for giving him those "252" shots. Bastard. Somehow, though, he didn't feel as angry as he would have thought. Being a bit drunk had made him more apathetic to the fact that he was in drag for the rest of the night. And he was able to briefly chat and dance with both Lina and Naga before getting in one last dance with Amelia. That one was a slow dance to cap off the night, and he almost was able to ignore the fact that she was eye-level with his fake breasts.

A bitter sense of satisfaction met him when she had left Val, in his sparkly black gown with his black feather boa, just to dance with him. They had talked about the club, and the food, and her upcoming college orientation and registration, and though drunk as he was, he could still sense that there was something that she wanted to ask him. In the end, however, she held back and contented herself with keeping the appropriate distance from him as they still sought to slow dance. Even at three in the morning, she still appeared as lively and vivacious as three in the afternoon: her bright eyes dancing with amusement, and her pink lips parting as she smiled.

Zel remembered thinking how much he wanted her to be closer.

If he could have punched himself, he would have.

"I've got to leave," he grumbled to himself, and he threw back the covers and hunted about for his dressy clothes. Finding them in a pile next to the door, he saluted Gourry's sleeping form ("Good luck") and stepped outside, trying to ignore his mounting headache.

The Seyruun's backyard was peaceful in the morning, very quiet despite the ruckus the whole group had caused four hours earlier upon their return. Zel breathed in the moist air, not quite like the salt breeze from the ocean, but clean and crisp nonetheless. Time to figure out how the heck he was going to get home. He made it to the bottom of the steps, and had just decided on going back up to the apartment to call a taxi when the rustle of a newspaper caught his attention.

It was Philionel, sitting on the back patio, drinking a steaming mug of coffee as he read the morning paper. He was watching Zel, and when they made eye-contact, motioned Zel over. Of course, the young man complied.

"Planning on leaving so early?" he asked softly, an amazing thing for a person who was normally so loud.

"I didn't want to intrude, Mister Seyruun…"

"Please, call me Phil."

"Sure… Phil…"

"Sit, Mister Zelgadiss." Zel took the seat opposite him and was more than surprised when Beth came out and placed a mug of coffee before him as well.

"Do you take it with cream or sugar, Mister Zelgadiss?" she asked him pleasantly.

"Black is fine, thank you." She nodded, and was about to return to the kitchen when he stopped her. "Beth, if you don't mind my asking, how is Jordan? If you're here today, does that mean you both are returning home soon?"

She smiled, tucking a graying lock of brown hair behind her ear. "He's doing much better, thank you. In fact, he was the one who asked me to come home to make sure that Amelia gets some nice home-made cooking for her birthday. The doctors still want to make sure he's improving, and then we'll discuss coming home. He thinks that all the plants are going to die if Amelia's the one taking care of them."

Phil laughed, though not as booming as normal. "Knowing our little princess, he's probably right! But tell him not to worry, Beth. We hired a gardener for the time being, though he's not doing as good a job as our Jordan. See? The vines are growing way too thick over the pergola, and the bushes in the front are getting too big."

"I'll let him know, Sir. He's looking forward to coming home, but I guarantee he'll be more than happy when Amelia shows up at the hospital later today." She smiled again, but realized that the young man appeared intent on speaking with her boss. "Well, I'll just leave you gentlemen to talk. Breakfast will be ready shortly."

"Thank you, Beth," they both said. Zelgadiss took a tentative sip of the black liquid, and was grateful for its warmth and hangover reducing effects.

"Thank you for calling me last night, Mister Zelgadiss," Phil said, perhaps more quietly than before. "I appreciate the knowledge that my baby girl is in safe hands."

"Sir," Zel began, feeling more than awkward. His eyes quickly took in the surroundings before he continued. "I just wanted you to know where she was. I didn't want her to get in trouble."

"_You_ didn't get her in trouble, young man. Her _sister_ got her in trouble, and I appreciate the fact that you kept me informed of her safety… both of their safety."

"I don't want to… spy, Phil, and that's what it feels like I'm doing."

"It's for her welfare, Mister Zelgadiss."

"Of course." He sipped at his coffee again, but the whole thing still didn't seem fair. Weren't Phil and Amelia both about being fair and just? "Sir? I never got a chance to ask you. _You_ know about the letters, and so does Naga. Why can't Amelia know that someone is out there threatening the family? It doesn't seem… just." Damn. Maybe Amelia was rubbing off on him already.

Phil looked sharply at him, and under normal circumstances, Zel would have left it at that. It shouldn't matter the who's or the why's of it all, but for some reason, it did. "Amelia has the right to know that there have been threats on both your and your daughters' lives. I'm sure she'd do whatever she needed to in order to comply with our requests…"

"There's something you've got to understand about my girls, Mister Zelgadiss. Amelia's… well, she's very much like her late mother, though it may seem that she takes after me. Gracia is more like me, so we tend to see things much the same way."

Phil's eyes focused on a spot in the backyard, and a fond expression covered his face. "I remember. Gracia used to always follow Victoria around, trying so desperately to be just like her mother, but she ended up being just like her old man. She may have been wild when she was younger, but she's calmed down now that she has control of her life… now that she's got a purpose in life. She's _very_ much like I was in my younger days, you see, but when I met Victoria, I calmed down a lot for her sake. Our mutual passion for justice helped to focus my attention and my energy into something more useful to the public, the same way her business has helped to focus Gracia's energies into something… constructive.

"But Amelia is her mother's daughter, though she probably wouldn't think it. Just like her mother had, she's always learning as much as she can from everyone around her, but still striving to be her own individual person. Amelia always seemed to take to digging in the dirt or playing at battles with the neighborhood kids, even though two minutes before, she and her sister were having tea parties with their stuffed animals. Amelia wanted to be a knight when she grew up just so she could save the Princess Gracia from the wicked dragon. My dear Victoria was very much the same: forever trying to figure out a way that she can make the world a better place and save as many people as she can. To fight for justice with all that she's got. Such selfless, protective women, the both of them…"

Phil paused in his recollections and for a moment, a brief look of pain crossed his features. Zelgadiss thought about his words and realized that Phil was right. The eldest daughter was very much like Phil, not only in her level of confidence in herself, but also in her attitude and bearing. Amelia, while very much like them both, seemed to be a toned down version. From his experience and from what he'd heard from Lina, the girl had an idealized view of justice and right, but it came from a harsh lesson learned first hand. The girl would take it upon herself to right the wrongs that she came across.

Amelia was not one to sit idly by when evil was afoot.

"Are you afraid that she'll do something rash?" he asked, finally understanding what he was trying to say.

Phil nodded his head solemnly. "Especially if it's her problem, Amelia would try to ferret out the perpetrator herself rather than letting the proper authorities deal with the situation."

"That doesn't sound like she'd be following the law…"

Phil frowned. "No, it doesn't, but she'd eventually find a way to justify it in her mind. After all, there are some times when the law allows guilty people to go free because of psychological profiles, inadmissible evidence, and a whole host of other loopholes. Amelia believes in an _absolute level _of justice, Mister Zelgadiss. I'm doing this because I wish to keep her safe from them _and_ from herself."

Nodding, he finally understood a bit more about his young friend and her family. Somehow, knowing it made him wish to protect her even more.

* * *

Amelia opened her eyes and stared up at the window and the slant of the sunlight filtering through the blinds. Good. It wasn't quite nine o'clock yet… Hoping to catch a few more hours of sleep after last night, she closed her eyes again.

To open them again quickly in delight at suddenly remembering that today was her birthday! Eighteen years old finally!

Huh… Funny. She didn't feel any differently from the day before. Nor did she think she would be doing any more drinking (legally from now on) any time soon. The novelty of being eighteen just wasn't there… but that wasn't going to stop her from having a great birthday!

She crawled out of bed and stepped across the hallway, silently pushing open the door to the guest bedroom. Lina, though quite petite, was sprawled out across the entire queen-sized bed, her long red hair spilling over the pillows and blanket like a river on fire. Sylphiel was sleeping on a futon, and bore a striking resemblance to Sleeping Beauty in her perfect dreaming stillness. Too bad Filia, Hitomi and Eva couldn't be there as well, but their respective men drove them home from the club – after washing off the makeup and returning to the comfort and safety of their own clothes.

It was Sylphiel who had explained to everyone that Xelloss had taken Filia home, much to Val's chagrin. He had wanted to chase after them, but Amelia refused to let him take his motorcycle. They dropped him off at home first so he could find out where his foster sister was. The remaining two men didn't argue when Jennifer drove them all to Amelia's home.

Arriving home, however, was not something that she thought would be the difficult part of their night. It _was_, however, a fabulous display of just how loud her father and sister could be when they yelled at each other, and just how loud she herself could be when she had enough of her family's stubbornness. Amelia felt guilty about yelling at them when each one had a valid reason for arguing. Gracia was right: she was a legal adult now, so she should be able to drink and have fun if she wanted to. But Daddy was also right: given her history with alcohol, she shouldn't have been in a situation where she could easily abuse her tolerance. She had been doing just fine through the night, but neither of them could have predicted her sudden bout of anger and the four drinks in a row. Though she still couldn't quite understand why she was being such a brat, she was really glad that Val was there to pull her back to herself.

She probably shouldn't have been that upset anyway, since she was able to dance with Zelgadiss again that night. She watched him dance with Lina – the irritation returned, but not as badly as earlier. After all, Lina was laughing about Gourry the whole time. She also watched him finally dance and talk with her sister.

Amelia was near enough to hear them talking about the bartender upstairs and the incident with the rohypnol guys. Then Gracia was talking about how good he looked in her clothes, and then he clammed up. Amelia felt herself smile at the knowledge that her sister didn't know better than to poke fun at Zelgadiss when he was like that.

And then he danced with her.

She shouldn't have felt so happy, but slow-dancing with Zelgadiss was quite uplifting to her spirits. She wanted to ask him about her sister, how he felt or what he thought of her now that he had seen her again. She wanted to ask him if they could still go out together and have fun. But she didn't. Because if she did, she'd be admitting to herself that she liked him.

Her eyes widened. _I like him…_ _I really like being with him. I wish we could get closer… No! Oh, no. This isn't right at all._

Until she learned what his relationship was with Gracia, she just wouldn't feel right about her feelings towards him.__

"What's wrong, Amelia?" Lina croaked out, staring at her upside down from her spot on the bed.

Amelia's smile was back on her face when she explained to her friend. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about how much fun it would have been if all the girls could have stayed over, but after the fight last night, I don't think that would have been a good idea."

"Don't feel bad about it, Miss Amelia," Sylphiel piped in. The girl turned on her side to regard her friend. "There was nothing you could have done about it. It really was between your father and your sister."

"I know, but they were arguing about _me_."

"Then that's _their_ problem, Amelia," Lina said, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "They've always been like that. If it wasn't you, it would have been something else."

"I know. I just wish they'd get along better."

"Fat chance of that happening," the redhead muttered. Suddenly, she stopped and sniffed the air with closed eyes. "Waffles… sausages and bacon…"

Amelia was alert as well. Her eyes closed and she lifted her nose to catch the faint whiffs of, "… coffee… and is that… 'special scramble'…?"

The girls opened their eyes and looked at each other, wide grins adorning each face. "Beth!" they yelled happily together. Lina fought the covers and tumbled out of bed, racing Amelia down the stairs, leaving Sylphiel to follow at a statelier pace.

The two came tearing around the foot of the stairs and into the kitchen, and the sight that met them was as welcome as the food that was being prepared. Beth was piling several more home-made waffles on a platter, her hair holding a bit more grey strands than before, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes a bit deeper than before, but the smile on her face at the sight of them was as familiar as her home-cooked food.

Amelia launched herself into the housekeeper's arms the second the woman set down the food. Lina hung back for a second, demonstrating, yet again, marvelous self-control by not attacking the food when it was so unprotected. There were some things more important than food…

"I've missed you so much!" Amelia was bawling into the woman's shoulder.

"I've missed you, too, my pretty Princess," Beth whispered, holding the girl tightly. She looked at Lina, then, and held out her free arm to her. A second passed, and then Lina was hugging her as well. "You, too, Miss Lina."

"Are you moving back in soon?" Amelia asked when they had finally settled down. Beth was pushing them towards the stools so she could continue breakfast. Without being asked, she placed a plate with a sample of each item on the counter in front of Lina. For once, the older girl almost cried.

"A couple more weeks, dear. Jordan's getting better every day, and he's desperate to come home and get his life back to normal. The doctor thinks a couple more weeks of constant rehab will be enough, and then it's return visits once a week until they're satisfied that there's no permanent damage."

"I miss him, too. Does he know we're going to the hospital today?"

"He's looking forward to it. We're just about done with the cooking now. Did you want to help me bring everything out to the patio?"

"Of course!"

Lina had finished the plate in front of her, and Beth strictly warned her not to drool on the waffles when she brought them outside. Amelia followed her friend outside with the platter of breakfast meat.

Her eyes widened upon seeing her Daddy sitting at the patio table with Mister Zelgadiss, and she tripped on the step down. She didn't know how Zelgadiss got from the table to her side so quickly, but there he was, holding her up and taking the heavy plate from her hands. She looked down to cover her reddening cheeks and noticed that his hand was still around her waist.

"Are you okay, Amelia?" he asked in her ear.

She put a smile on her face and blushed. "Yes, Mister Zelgadiss. I guess being eighteen doesn't make up for being clumsy, huh?"

"Just be more careful next time. I'll take this. Go ahead and sit."

She followed him dutifully to the table, appreciating the fact that he still looked handsome in the morning (_Stop it!_), and then greeted her father warmly, sitting dutifully next to him. With a comforting hand on her shoulder, Phil apologized without words for yelling at her that morning. While Zel returned to the kitchen to bring out more food, Gourry stumbled down the stairs next to the garage and made his way over, waving a sleepy 'good morning' to everyone. Sylphiel wandered out of the house followed by Gracia, and Amelia felt like crawling under the table in shame.

Her elder sister was dressed in her normal sleep attire, as was everyone at the table. But where the men were wearing sweats and t-shirts (and in Phil's case, a robe) and the girls were wearing shorts and camisole sleepwear, Gracia was still attired in her lingerie, a little pink silk number that barely covered anything. Though she was wearing a robe, it was transparent, allowing everything to show.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Lina nearly yelled, voicing the thought that was on everyone's mind. Gourry was regarding her guilelessly until Lina punched his leg. Phil was trying his best to ignore his daughter's clothing by picking up his newspaper again. Zelgadiss stepped outside with the rest of the food and the coffee, saw Naga, and as if he saw that sort of thing every day, passed her without a second glance. Only Amelia noticed that he had a bit more color in his cheeks when he placed the remaining food on the table, and when he took his seat next to her, he turned purposefully to look out over the backyard.

Naga yawned widely and scratched the back of her head. She sighed. "What do you think, Lina?"

Lina was about to open her mouth to retort, but Beth cut her off. "Miss Gracia! You go upstairs and dress this instant! We have guests here!"

She turned a bleary eye on the older woman, and without a word, she stalked back into the house. Once she reappeared, clad in shorts and a tank top, breakfast was a relatively quiet and uneventful affair. Lina devoured the lion's share of the food, with Gourry in close second, followed by the Seyruun sisters. The remaining people ate what little they could, grateful that they were able to obtain _that_ much.

Since Amelia was distracted by the food before her, she didn't notice that every now and then, Zel's gaze kept returning to her face, or that her glass of orange juice was never empty. Since Zelgadiss was distracted by the news that he had learned, he didn't notice that Amelia was sitting so close to him that their elbows _could_ have bumped, but never did, or that he always had a full mug of coffee. Two pairs of eyes took in their interaction but decided to think on it later.

Before long, Jennifer arrived to pick up all the guests and drop them off at their houses (or in Gourry's case, at the club to pick up his car). On the way there, she picked up Val so he could retrieve his motorcycle as well. The surprise birthday bash was finally over, but there was still the 'official' party left to go.

Amelia, though sorry to see all her friends leave, knew that they would return in just a few hours and sought to occupy her time in helping her father and Beth prepare the house for the party that night. It was tough work, cleaning up the house and putting up all the decorations: a castles and dragons and magic theme, but Amelia felt it was as if she was transforming her house into a mystical video game realm or a magical anime world. By noontime, they had finished, and the four drove to the hospital to visit Jordan.

Amelia hadn't thought that she would be treated to a wonderful surprise.

"Jordan! You're… why, you're…"

"They call it 'walking', Amelia," he said with a strained smile. They found him in the rehabilitation center, walking with the aid of low parallel bars. Tiny beads of sweat pricked at his brow, but the grin on his face let her know that he was glad for the challenge.

"Oh, I know… but…" She was on the verge of tears.

"It's okay. Today's my first day up. I almost couldn't convince them that I was ready enough to do this." After reaching the opposite side, he gratefully accepted a helping hand from the therapist and lowered into the waiting wheelchair. "I wanted to make sure I was strong enough to see you today."

"Oh, Jordan! I'm so glad you're okay!" Amelia cried, and threw herself gently around his neck. "I knew you'd be better soon. I just _knew_ it!" she said as she pulled back to allow him to breathe.

"Good to see you doing okay, kiddo," Naga said from her spot behind Phil. She appeared uncomfortable, but still shot the boy a thumbs-up and a smile.

"Thanks, Naga. I'm glad you're here too."

They moved into the recreation room where Beth set up a tray of lasagna (Jordan's favorite) and a small cake. They enjoyed a nice, quiet lunch and some birthday cake, and made plans for his homecoming in a couple of weeks.

"Now, when you come back," Phil was saying, "I don't want you to go back to work right away, young man. We've got a gardener for the time being, so I want you to concentrate on getting your strength up." The boy was about to protest when Phil cut him off. "Think of this as a paid vacation. You'll have your work cut out for you when you get better."

This brought a smile to his face, and when Amelia offered to take him for a spin outside, he was only too happy to allow her to push him around.

"Naga finally made it, huh?" he asked her while they wheeled through the rose garden.

"Yeah. We went out to a club last night. Daddy got mad."

"You don't sound too sorry about it."

"Of course not! I don't get into trouble every day, you know," she tried cheerfully. Then with a resigned sigh, she added, "Besides, what's done is done."

"Yeah…" he agreed, nodding his head.

The noontime sun was rather harsh, and they found shelter beneath a white rose-strewn trellis. Their heady perfume was wonderfully intoxicating, and reminded the boy of the roses left at home. He had been away from home for over a month. By the time the doctors would allow him home, it would be closer to two months. Two whole months. How much had happened while he was out? How much more while he's stuck in the hospital?

"Do you remember what happened that night?" Amelia asked in a small voice.

Though he hated talking to the police about it, he didn't mind it as much with her. After all, she was practically family. "Not that much. It's coming back slowly. Every now and again, I'll remember something, but when I try to concentrate on it, to focus on the details, it slips away, and no matter how hard I try, it's just gone. Then the headaches start, and it's just not worth it. The doctors say that it's normal after head trauma, but I hate the feeling that I'm forgetting something; something that I know is there. It's like… it's like chasing a ghost…"

Amelia turned to him and was very surprised at the haunted look on his face. How horrible it must be to have lost so much time, and to try and fail to do something as simple as remember what happened. She placed a comforting arm about his shoulders.

"I had a green light," he said quietly. "I remember that much. I drove into the intersection, and then there was a loud screeching and really bright headlights and… and…" He stopped, his hand gripping the side of his head where he had cracked it against the window.

Amelia pulled his hand away and held it fast in hers. "It's okay, Jordan. Whether you remember or not, at least you're safe now." He nodded his head automatically, as if he had heard the same comforting words again and again, but the haunted look in his eyes remained. _I wish he'll get back to the swing of things and cheers up soon. I don't like seeing him this sad…_ "Come on. Let's get you back inside."

As they approached the rec room, he began to perk up once again. The smile on Jordan's face reappeared. "Hey, Naga doesn't look too happy, does she?" he commented when he saw her sulking next to her father.

Amelia smiled as well. "She doesn't do well in hospitals, you know that."

He grinned and looked up at her. "Wanna see her really squirm?"

"Of course!"

"Let her wheel me back to my room, and then I'll tell her that I need her help to go to the bathroom. Five bucks says that she nearly pukes."

Amelia could barely contain her laughter. "You're on!"

Five dollars short, Amelia smiled to herself as her father drove them back home. Somehow, knowing that Jordan would be coming home soon and was already up to all his old antics was the best present he could give her.

* * *

Dinner was more sedate than their escapade the previous night, but the food was just as good. One by one, all of Amelia's friends showed up at the door, and even her uncle and her cousin arrived to wish her a happy birthday. Gifts piled up in the foyer, and dinner was served buffet-style. Val produced a sparkly tiara from who-knew-where and placed it on her head, declaring her Princess Amelia of Seyruun-land for a night. He also handed her a pink and white baton with a shiny star at the end: the perfect tool for dispensing love and justice throughout the land.

And so it was, that Princess Amelia, clad in her royal attire (a cute pink and white skirt and blouse set) answered the door with a giggle and an imperious wave of her royal scepter, ready to meet another of her loyal subjects who was so kind as to gift her with his presence…

Zelgadiss stared back at her in shock and amusement.

Amelia blushed to her roots as she hid the scepter behind her back. "Um… Hi, Mister Zelgadiss! Come in. I was just… playing around…" she said nervously.

"That's quite alright… Princess," he said with a smirk as he stepped inside. Dressed comfortably in his khaki slacks and shirt, he produced a small neatly wrapped package. "Er… where should I put this?"

Resisting the urge to open it right there on the spot, Amelia pointed to the table next to the stairs, where a large pile of gifts had already formed. "Over there. Come on, we're just about to start dinner."

Feeling somewhat emboldened by the fact that she _was_ the princess for the night, she slipped her hand into his and led him into the dining room. Surprisingly enough, he hadn't protested at all, and simply followed her. About twenty people were milling about, chatting and commenting about the night before. Without asking who he would like to talk with, she brought him right to Gourry and Lina.

"Hey, Zel! You made it after all," Gourry said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, Lina, you owe me two doll-oof!"

"Yeah, well, it's good to see you again. Two days in a row, huh, Zelgadiss? That's a record for you lately…" she trailed off when she noticed their linked hands. "Though I understand if you found it hard to stay away for long," she finished with a sly grin.

Having been distracted by the guests trying to find their places, Amelia hadn't heard Lina's last remark. Zelgadiss did, however, and he was relieved when she released his hand, letting him know that she would get him a drink once she saw everyone to his or her seat. She flitted away, and Zel got a chance to glare at his friend before Gourry mentioned something quite casually.

"Hey, Zel. You know that stuff that you asked me to check up on for you? Nothing turned up. They're clean."

"Clean? Nothing at all? No complaints or anything?"

Gourry was shaking his head when Lina's eyes narrowed. "What's clean? What did you have him check for you, Zel?"

"It's nothing, Lina. Work stuff," he said, catching Gourry's eye with his own. He silently hoped that the taller man would figure it out and not say anything else.

Gourry smiled and tugged at Lina's red blouse. "Hey, Lina. Look, they've got those little meatballs on a stick that you like so much. And Amelia's sister is eyeballing them…"

"Naga! Get away from my meatballs!" the girl said and stalked off, dragging Gourry behind her. He shot Zel a small smile before succumbing to her will.

Zelgadiss felt a bit of a relief knowing that the people who had Amelia's car weren't necessarily up to anything shady. But that still didn't explain why all those pictures had the same dates… Deciding to ponder it later, and having no one else to talk to, he moved over to the table to find his seat.

Amelia seemed to have taken everyone's relationships into account when laying out the place settings. Her father sat at the opposite end of the table with her uncle and her cousin, leading her to keep her sister right next to her. Since she had initially planned on getting her to talk with Zelgadiss, she placed him on her left, directly opposite from Gracia. Lina and Gourry (who were jockeying their neighbors for elbow room) were next down the table sitting opposite each other, then Filia and Val (who seemed to be having a silent glaring match with each other), Beth and Sylphiel (the most polite of the entire group), Mike and Kim (who were rolling their eyes at the next couple), Brian and Eva (who were prevented from making out at the table _by_ the table), Yukari and Amano (who were speaking quietly with their neighbors), Hitomi and Van (who were talking about their new school with their friends), Alfred and Uncle Christopher (who smiled pleasantly and chatted with each other), and finally Amelia's father. She had wanted to invite Ken and Ryu as well as their other exchange student friends, and even considered inviting Xelloss, but she was too concerned with how the night would progress having any of those guys in the same room as Val.

No, last night was enough fighting for her.

Dinner was a wonderful affair, with shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon Caesar salad, cream of broccoli soup, honey-glazed baked ham, tender prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, broiled lemon-herb halibut, rice pilaf, sweet baked baby carrots, and corn casserole. It wasn't the fancy seafood spread from the club, but it was all home-made comfort food, and each and every dish was one of Amelia's favorites.

"Oh, I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the party last night, Amelia," Kim was telling her in the lull after the meal.

"Me, too!" Yukari complained. "I would have loved to try all that wonderful-sounding food. And the dancing. Hitomi told me _all_ about it!" The women at the table all glanced around and giggled. The men seemed to grow smaller at the mere mention of it.

Trying to be diplomatic, Amelia soothed, "Oh, the dancing was fine, but the food was the best part of the whole night. Nothing, of course, to Beth's cooking, but everything was done to perfection…"

Naga suddenly stopped drinking her water and lowered the glass slowly to the table, but no one took note, since the birthday cake was served. It was in the form of a decadent triple-layer chocolate ganache melt-down cake, complete with vanilla ice cream and steaming hot fudge. Eighteen lit candles adorned its slopes, and everyone sang 'Happy Birthday.'

Then they all yelled, "Make a wish!"

Amelia closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted, what she would wish for. It was _her_ day, _her_ wish… Opening her eyes, she took in each and every person seated at the table, waiting expectantly for her to blow out the candles, until they rested on Zelgadiss. He wore a slight smile, and her heart skipped a beat at seeing him so… happy?

_I wish…_

It was simple: wish for _him_.

But it wasn't simple at all. Her heart was just too big for that.

_I wish that all of my family and all of my friends, who care so much about me, will find true happiness someday._

She blew out all eighteen candles on the first try.

* * *

No matter what she did, it would never be good enough. No matter how hard she tried, she would never emerge from her shadow. Her closest friend and her greatest rival, Lina would somehow always be _better_.

Naga snuck away the second she could, when everyone was in the midst of squealing over the wonderful presents her sister had received. Many of the guests, in fact, had left early, and only a select few remained. It was a bit of a relief to be away from the crowd of people who only knew her as Amelia's big sister or Lina's old friend. It was an even bigger relief when her uncle and her cousin finally left.

She was lounging on the patio in the backyard, sipping a steaming mug of tea and gazing up at the stars, finally surrendering to the self-depreciating thoughts that were swimming around in her head. She was a failure at so many things…

Sure, she was a famous fashion designer, and her line was on the cutting edge nationwide, but her father's pride extended only to the fact that she was making an honest living. Amelia smiled and was glad that she was home, but even then, she was still clinging to Lina more than she was to her _real_ sister. Even Beth rebuked her for being herself that morning.

"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked behind her, and she jumped in surprise, sloshing her drink over her hands.

"Ouch! Dammit!" She placed the mug on the table and wiped her hands gently on her jeans.

"Shoot. I'm sorry, Naga. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No. It's okay, Zelgadiss. I'm an idiot anyway."

He chuckled and sat down beside her. "Never thought I'd see the day when Naga, 'the Great White Serpent' would call herself an idiot."

She smiled bitterly. "I never thought I'd see the day you'd actually call me 'the Great White Serpent'."

"Yeah, well…"

They sat in silence for a few moments, both gazing up into the darkened sky, unspoken words and feelings heavy between them. The moon was out, bathing them in an ethereal silvery-blue light and softening their features. Several more moments passed before she finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, you know."

His eyes never strayed from the bright orb, hanging so solidly in the vast emptiness above them. "What for?"

"For… You know. For not… being there for you… back then."

"Oh."

The ticking of Zelgadiss' watch sounded to Naga like the old grandfather clock in the sitting room. His silence was almost unbearable. Just as she was about to speak, however, he beat her to it. "I didn't fault you for it, Naga. I never did. I understood."

She turned to face him, and he finally tore his gaze away from the moon to rest on her. Now that she had his full attention, she suddenly didn't want to be on the receiving end of his piercing stare.

"But it wasn't fair to you, Zel."

"There's not much in this world that's fair, Naga. What happened to me wasn't fair. What _she_ did to me wasn't fair." He sighed and lowered his eyes to his hands. "You're her friend, I understand why you stayed away."

"But I was _your_ friend, too, and I just abandoned you when you needed someone the most. You were there for me when I was in need, but I couldn't be there for you…"

"Yeah, but you did what you could. Lina came when you told her what happened, and I appreciate that." Naga became quiet at that statement, and Zel's eyes narrowed. "Hn… I figured that she was the reason you fled the party and came to sit out here."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. I'm not even going to say it, because it's the same old problem."

She suddenly bristled. "Hey, don't judge me, Zel. Do you know how much it sucks that Lina always does everything so perfectly and I can't do anything right?"

"But what about your life? Look at what you've done, how much you've accomplished."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm on top of the world in Atlas City, famous in Saillune and Sairaag and clear across the country, but when I come home, I'm nothing more than a shadow, a screw-up. Last night is the best example of that fact." Her voice became harsh, and she turned away from him to glare back up at the offending silvery satellite, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. "It was Lina's idea for me to come home for Amelia's birthday. It was Lina's idea to have a surprise party at a club. It was Lina's idea to have the whole thing catered with all that great food."

"So if it was all her idea, then why did you and your father get into such a big fight…?" he began reasonably, but she rounded on him, her angry blue eyes boring a hole into him.

"Because everything else _was_ my idea. It was my idea to bring her to my friend's club with an _open bar_. It was my idea to dress everyone in my skimpiest outfits. The only thing I didn't mess with was the food, and my little sister said that _that_ was the best part of the whole night!"

She took a deep breath and tore her gaze from the young man sitting next to her. "I'm always doing the wrong thing with her. When she needed me a long time ago, I took off, leaving her to deal with the scraps of her life by herself. And when she was in trouble, it was Lina who stepped in to be the big sister that I couldn't be. Daddy told me how devastated she was when I didn't come home for her graduation. I stayed away for her safety, but I still messed it up, somehow. I wish I could be the kind of sister she needs and not 'Naga, the goldfish feces…'."

Not prone to crying, Naga felt the tears beginning to well up, and she fought to keep her cool by concentrating on counting the stars. She had gotten to seven when Zel decided to interrupt her.

"Did it ever occur to you that all Amelia wants is a sister who'll listen to her if she has a problem? A sister who'll be there for her? I don't think she ever blamed you for anything in her life. She just misses you more than you think. Sure, Lina's here, and she's her best friend, but you're Amelia's _sister_, and that's something Lina will _never_ be."

Naga pondered his words, said from the heart and with more emotion than he usually showed others, but it was a side of Zel that she was used to seeing. This was the practical advice that she had so desperately needed back in school to keep herself grounded and steady. She had always appreciated his valuable guidance. Slowly, as his words began to make more sense, the tightness in her throat began to lessen and her heart felt lighter.

She turned a lazy smile to him. "Are you sure you wouldn't take a job out in Atlas City again? I could sure use your pep-talks on a regular basis."

He smiled grudgingly. "Amelia's better at cheerleading than I am. Besides, I'm not too fond of Atlas City anymore." She smiled and was content to leave it at that, but Zel still continued, albeit more reluctantly than before, "Have you… talked with… _her_ lately?"

Naga's brow shot up. Well, there was something. _He_ actually brought _her_ up. "No. Not recently. I hear she's doing alright, though. I… take it you haven't spoken with him either?"

He shook his head with a bitter smile, and she wanted nothing more than to help take away that pain. Replace that horrid smile with one more true, like the one he had at breakfast and again when he walked into the dining room with… She grinned to herself.

"Hey, Zel," she said, quickly changing the subject. She turned to fully face him. "Do you remember taking Amelia to get ice cream when we were doing that art project?"

He blinked. "No…"

"Yeah. Remember? You got here early one of those days, and I wasn't ready yet. I had promised her that I would take her for ice cream, but I didn't have time, so you offered to do it for me."

Confusion quickly became recognition as the memory suddenly surfaced. "Oh, that's right. You told me to take her to the Ice Cream Shoppe on the other side of the hill while you got ready, and then we got lost. I got so turned around that she didn't even know how to get back home, so I had to drive all around until I found the main street. We were clear across town by the time anything looked familiar, and by the time we returned, she had finished both her cone and mine!"

He had a strange look of amazement on his face, as if it had never occurred to him that he might have talked with her sister before.

"What did you talk about the whole time?" she laughed, and he laughed with her, flabbergasted over the surprising memory.

"It was Amelia. What _didn't_ she talk about? I guess it was mostly about her wanting to eat my ice cream cone because it would melt before I found my way home and me insisting that I wasn't lost. You can tell who won that argument. Oh, and she also kept pointing out all these landmarks, so I thought she knew where she was, but she kept shaking her head whenever I'd ask."

Naga began laughing, not bothering any longer to keep her voice down.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho! I never thought she had it in her! Zelgadiss, dear," she laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning close to whisper a secret into his ear. "Amelia knows the hill like the back of her hand. She can't get lost up here. You were _had_."

Apparently, the news was as funny to him as it was to her, and he couldn't help but chuckle along with her.

* * *

Amelia stood at her window, her hand resting on the sill where she had placed it to open the window and cool off her room. Her eyes, rather than focused on the night sky where they usually drifted, were directed towards the two old friends who were sitting so companionably together. And they both looked so… _happy_.

_I wished my family and my friends would find true happiness, but I guess I never wished it for myself…_ she thought glumly, fighting off a feeling of helplessness and regret.

She supposed she had it coming. She knew that they liked each other, yet she still allowed herself to fall in… _Stop! Don't even **say** it!_

Lina found Amelia frozen in place, with her hand on the window, and when she saw her friend's expression and the reason for it, her worries were confirmed. She knew Zelgadiss well enough to know that he and Naga had been friends, but never anything more. And she knew him well enough to know that since he had returned to Saillune after Atlas City, she had never seen him as alive and as easy to get along with as he had been recently. Ever since he met Amelia…

And she knew them both well enough to know that he would deny anything to his grave if pushed too hard, and that she would put everyone else's happiness before her own. A brick wall and a martyr. Figures. They're perfect for each other, and the way they acted together at breakfast confirmed that for her. _I just wish Zel would get his head out of his ass long enough to see how happy he is with her, and I wish Amelia would be selfish for once and go for someone who'll make her happy…_

"Hey, what's with that look? Come on! It's your birthday!" she said energetically, and led her friend away from the window, trying to pretend that she hadn't seen. "Come on, Amelia. Let's go catalogue your presents."

Amelia nodded, and sure enough, she pasted a smile on her face and tried to put her sister's and her friend's happiness before her own.

But inside, her heart was beginning to break.

* * *

A/N: Dun dun dun! Ducks flying objects… Hey, I'm getting good at that! _Winks._ I'll try to update soon and get this story moving along. I've got a lot of ground to cover, so I might not update _Whaddya Mean Lemonade _unless it's important to the general plotline of this story. This story's only in July, and I've got to get through months of storyline! Life's not as hectic as it has been, though I've been really busy lately with a slew of summer birthdays, not to mention my own upcoming 30th. [So I'm crossing over into the realm of 'Thirtysomething.' Now, I hated that show, yet had never seen an episode, the 30's have a weird stigma for me: neither good, nor bad. Just… weird. So wish me luck in my last week of my 20's! (_Although, technically, I guess I'm still safe. Mathematically, a decade starts with '1' and ends with the '10', thereby making the 20's start with 21 and end with 30. If I think about it that way, I've got another year of my 20's left. – Yes, I was one of those nerds who kept complaining that the new millennium didn't start until January 1, 2001..._) End boring monologue.]

Special thanks again to everyone who's reviewed: **Ichiban Victory** (Yeah, the whole club scene never appealed to me either, but it was the only real place that I could have the kind of fun with the characters that I did! And as for Miwan… that will be fun for later! Thanks!), **Cookie** (Some guys _just_ can't commit, but don't worry. Zel will open up eventually, but not before Amelia gives him what he deserves. _Winks_. Oh, and Amelia and Val… they're a cute couple that I kinda stumbled into, and if I hadn't already planned out her and Zel, I'd probably have considered the possibility. Oh well. I shall think on another fic for them… thanks!), **Stara Maijka** (Heh, Amelia's outfit's the one from the Femille episode – it showed more leg than her normal one. _Winks_. Hey, thanks for bringing up Naga's success vs her bumbling. It sparked her angst for this chapter! She can do something good outside of Lina's presence, but bring them back together, and she's playing second fiddle once again, but this time, it's Amelia who's in the middle of it all. Thank you so much for the inspiration!), **Xeria Malstrum** (I tried to bring some levity to the story – I'm glad it worked! Val in drag… Since we never got to see him in drag in the series, finding an outfit for him was difficult, but I hope I answered your question in this chapter! And as for the guy with the green eyes… you know the answer to that: _It's a secret!_), **Kaeru Shisho** (Thank you! Yeah, Phil is much more lenient than he probably should be, and though the girls got in 'trouble' for it, he had legitimate reasons – and they still didn't get any kind of punishment at all. And as for Zel. He's got his own demons to deal with, but they won't be resolved for quite some time. Until then, he's going to fight it, but we'll see how he handles it when stuff changes around on him. _Winks_), **eedoe** (Ah, the beauty of fanfiction! We can mess with the things that we love and mush them all together! _Winks._ It's funny how we act with our peers vs our siblings. The sisters are just that when they're together: sisters. I'm glad you liked the bits of typical sibling reactions! And it's always fun to play dress up – especially with guys who thought they were so tough, but never had a chance! Thank you again!), **Mossygirl **and **IYluvr200** (Thanks for reviewing! When new or returning reviewer names pop up now and again, it just lets me know that you guys are out there reading! It makes me feel so much better that I have more readers out there! Thanks again for reviewing, but as long as you're reading, then I'm happy!), **Samantha** (Thank you so much! I hope you liked this one too!), **Valk** (Oh, what's the saying? _It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt…_ Yeah, it's kinda like that. It was _way_ too fun for me to put the guys in drag, and while some were more comfortable in their getups than others, someone had to pay eventually… too bad it was Gourry! _Winks._ But you're right. They all have to be pretty girly-looking guys… Hmmm… Thanks again!), **jesphoenix05** (Ah, yes. Salsa - _the forbidden dance_ - or was that something else? _Winks._ Oh, and Xelloss merely planted the suggestion to Naga that everyone sleep over at her place – you know, throwing Zel a bone, as well as riling up Val. He pokes and prods here and there, just to stir up the beehive…), **Lina Gabriev** (Angst… I love it! And if Zel wasn't such a standoffish kind of person, maybe he wouldn't get into these puffing matches with Val and go after Amelia straightaway… but then it would all be over too quickly, and it's too much fun watching them struggle! _Winks. _Xelloss… he just pushes everyone's buttons – it's a wonder he still has friends. And you're right. Fil will probably be mad at him no matter what he does. _Grins. _Thanks!) **Aisha C** (Hey, thanks a bunch! Don't worry. There'll be more fireworks ahead, but they'll be all over the place!)

I'm really glad that everyone liked the outfits that I put everyone in: skimpy versions of their anime attire (some from different episodes). It looks like everyone pretty much figured out where I got my inspiration from (and now we know what Val wore as well)! Yes, that was Volun who was hitting on poor Mister Gourry. What fun we'll have next time!

Click the button and review!


	25. Pulling Strings

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 25**

_**Pulling Strings**_

"... and your uncle also gave you that beautiful basket of lilies," Filia said from her spot on the couch in the living room. She was idly stroking Bubbles' fluffy fur, and the tiny Pomeranian was soaking up the attention.

Amelia was cataloguing the many presents she had received that night for her birthday, not because it was customary to do so, nor because it was polite to send out 'thank you' cards for the gifts, but because Lina was curious as to how well the girl had made out. Amelia had opened more than one card with a number of fifty and one hundred dollar bills inside, as well as many expensive-looking gifts along the way.

Of course, one may have thought Lina's actions quite mercenary, but Amelia knew better. Lina just enjoyed placing a value to objects, new or old. It was just her way of keeping herself occupied until the day she graduated, got a grant, and was able to go globe-trotting to find treasures on her own. But it was Lina who had explained to Amelia that some treasures couldn't have a price-tag, and that the ugliest object could sometimes be the most valuable.

So, the younger girl indulged her friend and sorted through her gifts, allowing Lina to record them as they sat on the carpet, with papers and envelopes spread across the coffee table.

"So who gave you the roses?" Lina wondered, tapping the pencil's eraser on the list.

"That was me," Val said flatly, raising his hand into the air. He was lying sideways across the wingchair, his head and his legs dangling over the arms. A mischievous grin touched his lips. "And before you ask, I also got her the dolphin anklet, the crown and the thing with the star at the end. The card I gave her was the one with the stick-figures and it came in a blue envelope. I used a blue Pilot pen to write on both the card and the envelope..."

"_Okay!_ I get it!" Lina hollered, throwing the pencil at him. He batted it away easily, and then retrieved it, tossing it back to her. Lina laughed and muttered, "Geez. Ask a simple question..."

"Get a stupid answer," Filia said, lazily twirling a lock of her golden hair about her forefinger. Val shot her a look, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Okay, what's the deal?" Lina demanded, finally getting sick of the lightning bolts shooting across the room between those two. Amelia, who had been sorting through her cards, and Gourry, who was handing her some boxes, stopped what they were doing and watched, fascinated. "You two have been at it all night! What's the problem?"

Val crossed his arms and slouched lower. "I don't know. Why don't you ask _Xelloss_?"

"Xelloss? What the hell does he have to do with this?"

"Nothing at all, Miss Lina," Filia said, glaring at her 'brother'.

"Really? I thought it was _all_ about him today. I don't know what the hell you're thinking..." he grumbled to himself.

"This is _not_ the time for this..."

"Oh, the same way the _entire day_ wasn't time for it? So, when do I get an explanation?"

"Val," she warned, but he had sat up straight in the wingchair.

"Hey, if I'm going to _lie_ to cover for you, then I think I deserve to know what I'm lying about!"

"How many times do I have to tell you? We just _talked_!" He snorted in disbelief. In a huff, she turned around in her chair and crossed her arms. Naga's dog yelped once for her attention, and when the girl refused to oblige, he jumped down in a huff, strutting away indignantly. Filia didn't even notice. "Not that it's any of your business anyway. And I didn't _ask_ you to lie for me either..."

"So you want Mom and Dad to know that you spent the night at Xelloss' then?"

The collective silence that followed that statement was made worse by the fact that Lina and Amelia happened to gasp at the same time. Gourry blinked in surprise, and then smiled, handing Amelia another box as if nothing strange had happened.

"I guess that means that Zel doesn't have to worry about Xelloss anymore then," he said happily, and though Amelia didn't quite have a clue what he meant by the simple statement, Lina did.

"Ow! What was that for, Lina?" he whined two seconds later, and the girls tried to get back to cataloguing the gifts, despite the tension in the room. Filia and Val resumed their helpful comments and restricted them to only answers about the gifts.

A couple minutes later, Gourry handed Amelia a plain white envelope. "Hmm... I don't remember opening this earlier," she said, accepting it with a look of confusion on her face.

Lina craned her neck to see what her friend was talking about and prodded her to open it. "Who knows?" she wondered aloud, and then giggled. "You might have a secret admirer!"

"A secret admirer?" Val asked, only to be echoed by another voice from the hallway.

Zelgadiss had just come in from the patio with Naga trailing behind him, and he had a strange look of worry and suspicion on his face. Before he could inquire further, though, Naga asked from the hallway, "Who's got a secret admirer?"

Lina waved them all off. "Amelia got another mysterious card, just like the one she got for graduation. _I_ think it's a guy who's got the hots for her, but is either too shy or has a stupid fear of rejection or commitment."

Zelgadiss continued to frown as he watched Amelia, who was ignoring them all to open the envelope. It was a simple store-bought card, with a sepia-colored picture of a small boy and girl, prettily dressed and innocently holding hands. When she opened it, a small blue object fell out into her lap. Lina leaned over into his line of sight, but when he moved to get a better view, Naga and Filia rushed over to obscure his vision as well.

All the girls but Naga suddenly squealed in delight and Lina began to tease her friend. "_Wow_, Amelia! That solves it. He's too shy!"

"I wonder who it is," Filia said, placing a finger to her lips in thought. "I think that's really romantic."

Zelgadiss was beginning to become extremely irritated, but it was somehow more than just the simple fact that this anonymous card could be from the person who was threatening the family. Whoever it was, he (or she) was playing on Amelia's emotions, and from her pink-tinged cheeks and the embarrassed smile on her face, it appeared as if it was working.

"I think it's spineless," he muttered, thinking no one would hear him above the high-pitched giggling and fawning.

Amelia, however, _had_ heard. She shot him a look of supreme apathy and annoyance, and Zelgadiss found himself wholly taken aback. Never, in the entire time that he had known her, had she ever regarded him in that way, like his opinion didn't matter at all. It wasn't as if he was looking for her to idolize him or even adore him. He had just thought... that maybe he was special somehow.

"_I_ think it's sweet," she declared, turning away from him and holding up the small gift that had fallen out of the card, openly admiring it. It was a blue ring, apparently made from some kind of gold-speckled dark blue stone.

Val suddenly was next to her, and before she could protest, he had snatched the card from her hands and began to read aloud in an irritating falsetto: "_To the Beautiful and Mystical Amelia, I look forward to seeing you wearing this, though lapis is pale in comparison to your gorgeous azure eyes..._"

He rolled his eyes. "Puh-leeze!!! You girls go for this dribble?" he asked, shoving it back into Amelia's hands.

With an equally unnerving glare, she said simply, "At least this person put a lot of thought into this gift."

"And _I_ didn't?" he wondered aloud, and Zel heard his thoughts mirrored. Val looked about as hurt as Zel felt. "Remember the time I brought you on that boat trip to the island _just_ so we could see the whales? We only saw dolphins that day, and you said that it didn't matter because dolphins were your favorite anyway."

Suddenly, Amelia's countenance shifted, and a cloud seemed to have lifted from her face. "Oh, I'm... I'm sorry, Mister Val. I didn't mean it like that at all! I just... I just wanted you to stop making fun of me..." She appeared close to tears.

Lina quickly stepped in to divert the attention, cracking her knuckles loudly. "He wouldn't _dream_ of making fun of you, Amelia. Right, Val??? You didn't mean anything by it, right? Don't worry, Amelia. If you had to explain how important each gift was to you, you'd be here all night, and it's late enough as it is. Come on, everyone. We'd better get out of their hair."

Gourry and Lina gave Amelia big hugs, as did Filia, but Val looked sheepish for having pushed it that far, and he pulled her aside to quietly apologize to her. Zelgadiss inwardly frowned, but Naga pulled him into the hallway while they were distracted.

"Don't worry. I'll see if I can get this card and the other one she talked about. I'll call you to set up a time?" she whispered in his ear.

"Will you be able to?" he asked, his eyes never straying from Val and Amelia in the corner.

"I'll figure something out," she assured him. He nodded reluctantly and then handed her one of his business cards. Surprising him, she kissed his cheek and smirked. "Take good care of her, Zel. She can be stubborn, but she's worth it, you know." Naga stepped back into the living room and waved her goodbyes to everyone before flouncing away upstairs.

Amelia, meanwhile, was trying her best to ignore her sister looming over Zelgadiss while Val was trying to apologize to her.

"I'm sorry if I screwed up your birthday, Amelia," he whispered, looking like a lost puppy. "I shouldn't have done that. If you really like whoever gave that to you..."

She smiled. "I don't even know who it is. How can I like someone I don't even know? Besides, you were just being _you_. I should be able to handle _that_ any day of the week."

He chuckled, and was relieved that their easiness had returned. "You like your gift, though, right?" he asked, half joking. She surprised him by hugging him tightly.

"I'd like it if it were a lump of coal, Val," she whispered, and his heart, though he had quite given up on her, rose into his throat at the way she said his name.

"I'd better let you go, Amelia," he said thickly as he ended their embrace. He tweaked a grin on his face and joined the others at the door, trying his best to keep a neutral face.

Amelia felt her heart drop at the tone of his voice, and glanced away, but that was when she saw her sister kiss Zelgadiss on the cheek. She forced a smile and saw everyone to the front door. Lina cast a worried glance back at her friend's strange expression, but Gourry was already tugging her towards the truck. Naga waved goodbye to everyone and dashed upstairs, and then Amelia was alone.

With Zelgadiss.

Amelia turned to him with the same plastic smile and said as happily as she could, "Thank you for coming to my birthday, Mister Zelgadiss."

He suddenly appeared more relaxed, now that it was just the two of them, but Amelia stopped putting stock in the subtleties of his body language. After all, she had been completely wrong about the way he was always acting around her. She was, after all, just the 'little sister.'

"Thanks for having me, Amelia. Last night was fun, but I think I'm more suited to a quieter dinner scene. High heels didn't quite agree with my feet."

She found herself smiling a truer smile, and she couldn't help herself from fingering his shirt sleeve. "You looked nice, but you're right. _This_ suits you much better."

"I'm glad you think that," he laughed, and the knot of tension between them began to ease. "Did you like your present?" he asked.

Amelia was suddenly caught in a confusing array of emotions, all of which played out across her face. "Oh, Mister Zelgadiss. It was... it was so nice... But it was too much! I really can't accept it." She picked up the small box from the side table, and it was then that Zelgadiss noticed that it had been set apart from the others she had been cataloguing. "This must have cost a lot of money. I'd feel weird accepting such an expensive gift from someone I've only known for a couple of months. I'm sorry, I just _can't_ accept it."

With that, she handed him back the box.

Zelgadiss stared at it blankly for a moment, trying to sort out what had just occurred. Again, he tried not to feel hurt at the rejection of _his_ gift and her ready acceptance of a _stranger's_ gift. Again, he tried not to compare himself to Val, whose gift she had fawned over, while she had been silent when she had opened _his_, and had only given him a quiet 'thank you' before moving on to the next one.

Then the strangest thought occurred to him. He was suddenly acting on it before he could let his pride and better judgment stop him and leave him alone in the world again. "But we haven't known each other for _just_ a couple of months, Amelia."

"What do you mean?" she asked, clearly bewildered.

With a sly smirk, he grabbed her hand and pulled her outside, closing the door behind them. "What are you...?" she began, but he put a finger to his lips and then continued to lead her along gently until they got to his car. Without a word, he opened the passenger door for her. She stood on the curb, looking from the car to him and back. Since he gave no sign of telling her what he was doing, she shrugged and sat down, subconsciously snuggling into the seat and breathing in the vaguely familiar scent of Zelgadiss' car.

When he entered the car and started the engine, she tried again to ask what was going on, but he revved the engine when she opened her mouth, smirking when she closed it. He placed his gift in one of the dashboard cubbies, and then pulled away from the house.

Zelgadiss began to drive through the side streets, away from the main road that would take them down the hill. She was bursting with curiosity as to where they could possibly be driving when she noticed where they were headed – it was, after all, the only non-residential place on that side of the hill. Now, why would they be going there?

Sure enough, Zelgadiss pulled out onto the main drive and followed it to the Sonata Bay Plaza, a tiny little strip mall tucked away on the far side of the hill and housed Amelia's favorite ice cream parlor, The Ice Cream Shoppe. Zelgadiss parked the car and looked expectantly at Amelia.

"Feel like ice cream?" he asked, a funny smirk on his face. It somehow made him look years younger, and Amelia was suddenly hit with a sense of déjà vu.

She blinked. "S... sure."

It was not yet closing time, and there were a couple of patrons who were enjoying a huge banana split. Despite all the food she had eaten earlier, Amelia felt herself beginning to drool.

"What can I get for you two?" an elderly woman asked them after she rang up a frazzled-looking man in his pajamas and a bath robe who dashed out of the store. Amelia and Zelgadiss were staring after him in fascination when the woman explained his bizarre behavior. "He just bought a pint of half cookies and cream half pistachio fudge ice cream for his wife. She's nine months and one week, and that's the fifth time this week he's been here. Poor things are at their wits end... Oh, I'm sorry! I'm just rambling, aren't I? What can I get for you kids?"

Amelia was the first to pipe in. "I'll have a double scoop: black cherry fudge and..." Her eyes roved the freezer, trying to find...

"... mint chocolate chip?" Zelgadiss finished for her. Her jaw dropped. How did he know? "And I'll have a single scoop of almond mocha."

A familiar memory tickled the back of her mind, and only when they walked back out to the car did it start to come back to her. It was confirmed when Zelgadiss asked her to hold his cone for him while he drove – the long way around.

"Bring back any memories?" he finally asked her, and she couldn't help the beaming smile that was on her face.

"_I don't know where we are_," she giggled. "You _must_ have known I was scamming you, Mister Zelgadiss!"

He laughed. "No. I blame it on the naiveté of youth." He glanced over at her, and the fact that his cone was beginning to melt. She was already down to the black cherry ice cream on her own cone. "I'm not that naïve now, though."

He pulled off to one of the many scenic outlook points along the road and parked the car. "Come on. Let's sit outside," he said, and rescued his cone from her. While Amelia was busy getting out of the car, he neatly pocketed the contents of the gift box before joining her on her perch.

They sat on the guard rail, silently gazing out over the cliffs below them and at the dark water far below. It was a warm, but quiet night, and the stars were brighter up here where the lights of the city didn't interfere as much as at his house. The silvery moon cast its glow upon the two, bathing them both with its gentle and soothing light. Amelia soaked it all in with relish. Not only had her birthday been loads of fun, but she found out that she had shared a moment with Mister Zelgadiss. It was a happy memory that was made happier in the re-telling.

"So, you see," he was saying. They had long since finished their ice cream and were merely enjoying each other's company in the moonlight. "Technically, I've known you for years, Amelia. We've just become better friends recently. That's all." He took her hand and placed his gift in her small palm.

She was about to open her mouth to protest when his words sunk in. Damn. That's the same kind of reasoning _she_ would use. How could she argue that?

"I still think it was too much, Mister Zelgadiss," she tried, remembering why she was loathe to take it in the first place. "Even my sister didn't get me something _this_ expensive."

"Your sister did a lot for you, Amelia," he said, sounding sterner than he had intended. "She's always trying her best to do what she can. Besides, she mentioned that a few of the clothes she gave you were designed with you specifically in mind."

Amelia had grown quiet as he spoke, and she turned the object around in her hands. It was a beautiful Swiss Army watch, and had to have cost a couple hundred dollars, at the very least. Moonlight glinted off of the shiny metal band and the highly polished face, making it almost glow in her palm. If she didn't know what she _did_ know, she may have taken it to mean that Zelgadiss thought her special enough to buy her something as gorgeous as this watch. Her heart began to settle in the pit of her stomach once again. She should have known better.

"Besides," he continued, taking it and flipping it over so she could see the back. "I can't really take it back when this is on it, can I?"

On the back of the watch was neatly engraved "_A. Happy Birthday. Z._"

Amelia's sinking heart fell into her feet. "Does my sister know about this?" she asked in a small voice.

Zel appeared confused. "No. What does this have to do with Naga?"

She smiled, though she couldn't say why she did. "I just thought she told you that I'm always late for everything," she laughed nervously, but Zelgadiss laughed with her, not noticing the change in her demeanor. "Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss. I'll treasure it always!"

* * *

Amelia closed the front door and wandered to her father's study. He was pouring over his notes and the computer again, but when she popped her head in the door, he immediately looked up from his work and smiled, holding out an arm for her. She allowed herself to be enveloped in her father's comforting embrace, content for a short moment to be a girl who cared for nothing but her father's hugs.

"I didn't give you my gift, you know," he said when he let her go.

"Yes, you did, Daddy. Don't you remember? I told you that the car was my birthday gift for the next few years!" She fiddled with the new watch on her wrist.

"Hmpf! My baby girl becomes an adult, and I just let her birthday pass her by without getting her anything? What kind of father would I be?" he asked solemnly, but his eyes twinkled with delight. "It's nothing much, and it's not even here and now, but you've always spoken of it."

He passed her an envelope. She picked it up and pulled out a piece of paper. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she leapt into her father's arms again, all the while squealing in delight.

Phil laughed. "I know how much you've wanted to go to Aspen with your friends for years. Now, you've got your chance! It will have to be over your winter break. I won't have you miss part of your first year of college just for a ski trip."

"Oh, Daddy! This is the best gift! Thank you so much!" she said, hugging him tightly again.

"Anything for my Princess," he smiled. Lowering his voice, he suggested, "You may want to invite your sister, too. It will do you both some good to spend time with each other."

Her smile faltered for the barest of moments, but he didn't notice. Giving her a kiss on her forehead, Phil sent her on her way.

After such a tumult of emotions for Amelia, she felt positively drained. And after the late-night escapades of last night, she was more than ready for bed. Her head had barely hit the pillow before she was fast asleep, and dreaming of a warm and comforting presence beside her.

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The next morning, Naga peeked into her sister's room to scope out the possibility of nabbing those suspicious cards that her sister had received. If she could somehow get them to Zel while Amelia was at work, and return them before she came home, then she would feel much better about leaving her sister behind when she left for Atlas City. What she found, however, actually made her want to laugh.

Amelia was sitting cross-legged on the floor of her room, surrounded by every single jewelry box with every single bit of jewelry she owned, spread out before her.

"What are you doing?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Amelia looked up, but rather than appearing embarrassed or amused, she seemed perplexed. "Have you seen my necklace?" she asked, her eyes returning to the sparkling metal and jewels before her. Most of it was costume jewelry, but a few select pieces were very expensive, and some were very old. "It was the one on the long gold chain with the sapphire pendant."

"No. Is that new? I haven't seen it before." She walked in, and sat down on the desk chair.

"Yeah, it's the one that Mister Xelloss gave me. I can't find it..."

"Maybe you misplaced it."

"No. Are you sure you didn't borrow it?" Amelia insisted.

"What makes you think I would borrow your stuff?"

"Gracia, you borrowed my silver earrings, and you haven't returned them. I'm missing my coral bracelet, too..."

"Well, the earrings look better on me anyway, but I don't know anything about your bracelet or your necklace," Naga declared indignantly. Her sister just needed to keep track of her things better.

"Shoot! I think it might have accidentally gotten tossed out with the box," Amelia whined. She sighed and began putting away her things. "Oh well. I thought I'd find it..."

Naga was content to watch her sister sorting through her jewelry, not bothering to help her out. A thought came to her mind, and she grinned. "So..." she began, and Amelia looked up. "Where did you disappear to last night?"

Bingo!

She blushed prettily and began to fiddle with her new watch. "Mister Zelgadiss brought me to get ice cream."

"Reeeaaalllly?"

"Yeah, but he just bought me ice cream and made me take this watch..." she began, but her sister cut her off.

"_Made_ you? It was a gift, Tes. What? You weren't silly enough to try to give it _back_ to him, were you?"

"It didn't seem right!" she burst out suddenly.

"Why not? Zel's a great guy."

"Yeah, but..."

"You know what? Zelgadiss is the type of guy who chooses his friends very carefully. You should be honored that he considers you one of them. I know _I_ am." Amelia regarded her quizzically. "Zel doesn't waste words or actions. When he says or does something, it's for a reason, and usually the reasons are really good. He didn't make you take the watch: he really wanted you to have it. That would be good enough for me."

Her sister seemed to relent, but she appeared unexpectedly guilty. "Gracia... I'll keep it if you want me to, but I still feel weird about accepting something so expensive from your boyfriend..."

Naga blinked.

And then she laughed. Amelia winced.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho! No wonder! Oh, I thought there was something weird about you over the past few days! Zel's not my boyfriend. Geez, far from it! He's my _friend_, Tes! I'm not interested in him that way. Well, maybe back in high school, yeah. I mean, after all, he really was a cutie. But now, well, he is kinda creepy-looking..."

"Gracia! He is _not_!" Amelia yelled, clearly affronted.

Although Naga continued as if she hadn't been interrupted, she smiled inwardly at her sister's reaction to her words. "... and I know he's not interested in me that way, either! He's a sweetheart, don't get me wrong, but he needs someone... more tractable. I'm _way_ too much woman for him to handle. Oh ho ho ho ho ho!"

Amelia shook her head and pouted. "You should be nice about Mister Zelgadiss, Gracia. He's your friend."

She placed her finger right on her sister's nose and winked. "He's _yours_ too, Tesla, probably moreso than mine. Listen to him. He cares for his friends a lot, though he's sometimes got a weird way of showing it."

Amelia seemed to consider her sister's advice for a moment, and Naga was grateful for Zel's advice the previous night. It really wasn't that hard to show her sister that she was deeper than the beautiful older sister who had the best fashion sense in town. Feeling self-satisfied, she stood and smoothed out her shorts.

"Now, as much as I've enjoyed discussing the guy that you like, you do realize that you're late for work, right?" she asked seriously.

Her sister seemed flustered by her straightforward comment, but then was equally flustered by the fact that she was, indeed, going to be late for work. Caught between trying to deny it and trying to explain, she just sat there gaping like a fish. Naga laughed. "You'll catch flies, Tes. Never mind all this; I'll clean up. Just get going, okay?"

Amelia stood and grabbed her backpack and her keys and dashed out the door, but was back in a flash. Before she could ask what was wrong, Naga was smothered in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Gracia," she said, and then with a little smile, Amelia was gone.

Naga sat down hard on her sister's bed, and couldn't help but smile at the fact that she had done something good for her. It felt... great to do something as simple and as fulfilling as being a big sister.

Then she looked around the room and remembered why she had gone there in the first place. She instantly felt like crap.

* * *

"I hate this, you know," Naga said as she handed Zelgadiss a small paper bag containing the two strange cards.

He regarded her through the open car window and tilted his head to indicate the passenger side door. She seemed hesitant, but soon joined him in his car.

"I've got to be back in a couple of hours. Bubbles is in his crate and I can't leave him alone for too long."

He merely glanced at her, and then putting the car into gear, he pulled away from the curb. She crossed her long legs and her arms, and stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him. Before long, she finally said what was on her mind.

"I hate living like a shut-in, Zel. Tes is the only one who's still living like a free person, but it's because the rest of us are sneaking around behind her back trying to make sure she doesn't know that some loony is out there trying to get at us. I thought it was just me and Daddy getting strange letters, but now she is too, but she doesn't understand that they're dangerous. I don't want some kook talk her into meeting with her. She's nice enough to let something like that happen."

"I won't let that happen, Naga," he bit out, hardly realizing that his knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel too tightly.

"Even you can't be everywhere at once."

"I'm not going to let her get hurt," he insisted. "It's my job."

She glanced over at him and frowned. "Yeah? Well _my_ job is out in Atlas City, but I'll be damned if _anyone's_ going to hurt my sister."

She said it vehemently about the stalker, but Zel felt her words stab into his chest. Guilt was beginning to gnaw at him, and he tried to focus on the fact that he had been requested for this assignment. Of course, he had agreed back then with the idle thought that he wouldn't actually end up caring about the girl he was hired to protect. Now that he did, what would happen to her if he retreated from her life and left her to someone else's care?

He didn't get to ponder that thought for very long. Naga's next quiet words shocked him to his core. "Not even you, Zel," she whispered.

He felt the blood drain from his hands and feet. Forcing himself to concentrate and focus on his job, he continued driving to the station in silence. Sure, he liked to think of himself as mercenary, as a guy who could write off his friends in a heartbeat if they didn't suit him and his goals, but when it came down to it, he found that he was actually more loyal than he could have thought. Damn his police training. It made him value his friendships and the camaraderie he found with people he normally wouldn't have dreamed he would be friends with. When did this happen? When did he begin to appreciate the people around him?

"..._people should have a good support group around them, just so that they stay sane_..."

Amelia was right. If it weren't for the friends who had insisted on staying by his side after his accident, and for their valuable presence over the next few hellish months, he probably would have gone insane; because one thought had dominated his mind through those cold lonely nights, as he lay in the hospital with nothing but his own hate-filled impulses to keep him company. If it weren't for Lina and Gourry, he probably would have gotten himself thrown in jail.

Or even killed.

And then he never would have met Amelia again, and he wouldn't have been able to protect her...

He pulled into the parking lot of the police station and found a spot in the visitor's lot. After parking, he turned off the car and sat quietly, organizing his thoughts. Naga reached for the door handle, but a scarred hand stopped her. Her blue eyes, so much like her sister's, shot to his face and met his gaze.

"I'm not going to hurt her, Naga. I won't let anyone hurt her."

Her small smile was bittersweet. "You, of all people, know better than that, Zel. The ones we love are the ones who can hurt us the most."

Painful thoughts raged through his mind like lightning, but they were immediately doused by the realization of what she had just said. She had meant the people _Amelia_ loves are the ones who can hurt her the most. Did that mean...?

"Here," she said, interrupting his thoughts again. She picked up the bag and handed it to him again. "Hurry up. I've got to get home."

With that, she crossed her arms and stared out of her window, effectively ending the conversation. With nothing else to say, he exited the car, but as he turned to shut the door, his excellent hearing caught her whispered words, "Please, be good to her."

Zelgadiss walked up the steps to the station, his mind and his heart waging yet another battle within his already emotion-battered frame. After all, how could he promise never to hurt Amelia when his current existence in her life had all been contrived? How could he have allowed her to influence his way of life, his way of thinking? Was he so starved, so deprived of any goodness that he just lapped up the positive feelings that she so readily exuded?

Wouldn't she blame him for not telling her the truth? And if she didn't... if she actually held him blameless, could he allow her fully into his life? She wasn't naïve, that was certain, but she didn't yet know about _his_ inner demons. She didn't know about the things in his life that made him a monster.

"It's been handled by too many people," a voice broke his dour mood. The young tech was examining one of the cards. "I could possibly pull a latent off of it, but it'll take a while and it'll probably destroy the card. The only thing I can suggest is to check the handwriting. Even then, there's not much to go off of. Was there anything on the envelope we can check out?"

"No. The girl threw it away, and the trash has been picked up, but from what I saw, the envelope was blank."

"Then it was dropped off?"

"Apparently. I'm still trying to get permission for a camera to be set up, but they're not too keen on the idea."

The tech smiled. "Why have a camera when they have you, right?"

Zel shot him a wry grin. "Be glad you're a tech, Jon. Thanks. I'll take it to imaging now."

With a little wave, Jon picked up the next file and Zelgadiss saw himself out. Twenty minutes later, he was walking back to his car with the hopes that they would be able to find a match with the handwriting. He groaned at the sight that met him.

"You know that Saillune's the safest city on the coast, right Naga?" one of the five officers was saying. "If you move here, we'll make sure we keep that reputation."

Another one put in his two cents worth. "Yeah, well I was thinking about transferring out to Atlas City. You'd put in a good word for me, right?"

"Now, now, boys," Naga was saying as she leaned up against Zel's car. She looked like one of those girls on a muscle-car magazine... and she was probably scratching up his paint job. "I'm at home in both cities, so no fighting. We can all get along, right?"

"Alright, alright. Break it up, guys," Zel announced as he arrived at his car. "Naga, don't scratch my paint, please. We've got to get going."

"Of course, Zel," she replied huskily, and shot him a wink. His co-workers watched on in differing degrees of awe and jealousy, and he couldn't help but want to crawl under a rock.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked her as they pulled away from the station.

"You've got to have fun in life. You can't go around sulking and brooding all your life. Just think about what I've done for your social status."

"Great. Now they're going to ask me about you when there's nothing going on between us."

Naga smiled. "That's all I wanted to hear you say, Zel."

He glanced at her and shook his head. The day he actually understood the Seyruun sisters would be the day he'd check himself in to a mental facility.

* * *

"... and make sure that you air out my room again before Christmas. I'll be home for a couple of weeks..."

"Yes, Gracia."

"... so you might want to weed through my closet for any clothes you can fit into over the summer. By the time I come back, it will be winter, and I'll be bringing back tons more clothes, so any of those old things, you're welcome to..."

"Yes, Gracia."

"... and make sure you make up a place for Bubbles. It's much too cold for him to play outside. He needs a proper crate here for when I come home..."

"Yes, Gracia," Amelia said for the twelfth time that morning, nodding her answer, but not really paying attention any more.

Naga glanced around the foyer once again in a vain attempt to look for anything she may have left behind. Her bags were packed, and Bubbles was looking expectantly up at her from the safety of her bag.

"Oh well. If I forgot anything, I'll just send for it later," she said lightly, tugging on her black gloves.

"Call when you get there," Philionel said gently, in a low voice.

Normally used to scoffing at his worrying ways, it was quite out of character for Naga to actually nod and give her father a hug. Amelia stared at them in curiosity, but Bubbles barked, and she cooed at the dog.

"Are you sure you don't need a ride to the airport?"

"No, Daddy. A _friend's_ picking me up," she assured. "He should be here any minute now."

Reluctantly, he nodded, clearly hoping she'd change her mind, but she had never been one to be deterred from something. Wrapping her in a huge hug, Naga patted his arm gently, briefly allowing him to treat her as a little girl. When he released her, she turned her attention to her little sister. Amelia wrapped her arms around her sister again, but this time, Naga hugged her back.

"Thank you, Gracia. I'll miss you."

"Me too, Tesla. Remember what I said about him, right? And call me if you need me for anything."

Amelia blushed and smiled. "Thank you."

"Nothing to thank, sis. Be good." Naga mussed up Amelia's hair, and then hastily gathered her belongings when a horn sounded outside. "I'll call you later, Daddy. Bye!"

"Bye, Gracia!"

"Safe trip, daughter!"

Naga strutted down the walkway to the waiting limo and loaded her luggage into the car herself. With a big wave back at her father and sister through the open window of the car, she was on her way to the airport.

"I hope your visit was to your liking?" the driver asked.

Naga pushed her sunglasses up and glanced at the rear view mirror. She smirked. The guy looked exactly the same as he did back in high school. "It was interesting enough, Xelloss," she answered, leaning back into the seat. "It was nice to see her again. Nice to see everyone again."

"And dress them up like your dolls?" he asked, sounding somewhere between amused and annoyed. His violet eyes flicked towards her and then back to the road.

"Oh, you know you loved it. Besides, I heard you were able to spend some time with your girlfriend..."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"... but I don't think Val liked it very much."

"Val can kiss my..."

Naga cut him off. "I can see that he's still on your shit list."

"He's a bad seed. The girls seem to think he's okay, but it's all a front. He's a ticking bomb, waiting to go off."

"And how long have you known him?"

"Long enough," he snorted in disgust.

She was about to comment when her cel phone interrupted her thoughts. "Hello, Naga speaking."

"_So, you were going to leave without even saying goodbye, huh?_" an irritated voice asked her. She rolled her eyes.

"I just didn't have time, Lina. I'm probably going to be late for my flight if my driver doesn't step on it." She was rewarded when Xelloss shot her a glare and sped up.

"_Well, you know you should still let your friends know what's up._"

"Yeah, well, time flies..."

"_Hey, you aren't still trying to avoid me, are you?_"

"Me? The Great White Serpent does _not_ avoid people."

"_Really? Then why is it that we didn't do anything together the whole time you were here?"_

"I was busy..."

"_Yeah, real busy. When I asked Amelia, she said that you kept complaining how bored you were._"

"She must have me confused with someone else."

Silence. After several moments, Lina sighed. "_Look, I really called to tell you that I don't want to take your place._"

Naga frowned. "Now _you_ must have me confused with someone else."

"_Shut up. Hey, Naga, I'm not really that good at... you know, but I don't want to be the cause of you and your sister not getting along. I know I'm probably closer to her now than I am with you, but you're still my friend, you know. Just because you're out in Atlas City doesn't mean that _our_ friendship is over. It just means... that we've got to try a little harder sometimes. And it's not a competition. At least not in my eyes. I wish every now and then that my relationship with my sister is like yours with Amelia._"

Another silence, but this time, Naga was the one who was thinking. She really did miss the fun she and Lina used to have, though she knew that it wouldn't be the same if they went out to party. They had been young and stupid then. She had a reputation to uphold now.

Of course, with Naga's reputation, Lina would most certainly be the awkward one on Naga's home turf. Her stint with her sister out in Atlas City proved that before. With a smile, she began to feel the old familiar companionship and rivalry that they had shared once upon a time.

"Call me in a few weeks, Lina. I'll fly you out for a weekend in Atlas City that you'll never forget! Oh, and if you want, you can bring your boyfriend with you..."

"_Boyfriend?_"

"Yeah, that tall, blond drink of water... what's his name? Gabby or Gout or something?"

"_It's 'Gourry' and he's not my boyfriend!_" Naga grinned. She could almost see her friend blushing.

"He's not? Well, then he's fair game, right?"

"_W...what???_"

"I said 'he's fair game.' If he's not your boyfriend, you can bring him along anyway. Maybe _I_ can get to know him better..."

"_Try someone else, Naga. You're not his type._"

"I take it his type is short, underdeveloped redheads?"

"..."

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho! Gotcha, Lina! You're too easy!"

"_You'd better be glad you're getting on a plane, Naga..._"

"I am, actually. But don't worry. You'll have a great time when you visit. I'll talk to you again soon. Kisses!" Naga made kissing noises into the phone and laughed when Lina hung up on her. Feeling much better about her friendships and her family relationships, she snuggled back into her seat and closed her eyes.

"I thought women were more vindictive than men, when it came to affairs of the heart," Xelloss muttered.

"You've got a lot to learn about women, Xelloss," she said, sliding her sunglasses back into place.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry. You'll understand one day." She could almost see the waves of irritation radiating off of him through the partition. A smirk touched her lips when he took the bait.

"Hey, I didn't accept your invitation... rather, your order to bring you to the airport just so I can be subjected to your badgering. What did you want, Naga?"

Pulling a file from her suitcase and crossing to the seat next to the driver, she slid the manila folder through the partition and into his hand. He glanced over at her in question, and at the red light, he opened the file.

His brow rose at the contents.

"And what's this about?" he asked, for once showing his curiosity.

"I can't trust anyone else with this."

"Not even Phil?" he wondered, turning the corner and merging onto the freeway.

"Him, least of all."

"And you would have me...?"

"Check on what I've already looked up. I've done some of the homework; all you have to do is follow up on it."

"Wouldn't a detective be better suited for this than me?"

"I don't necessarily trust the police department with this. P.I.'s can be shady characters, too."

He nodded. "Understandable."

"And I trust that what we discuss and anything pertaining to this case will be kept confidential?"

"Of course... that is, _if_ I take this case."

Naga leaned back in the seat. From her vantage point, she could just make out the side of Xelloss' face from the corner of her eye. "You'll take the case," she affirmed.

He smirked. "What makes you say that, my dear?"

"Page five."

His smile vanished. Leafing through the file, he found the page she had indicated, and his face fell.

"How did... how...?"

"Ten years of digging, Xelloss."

"But it says 'Metallium' in here."

"It also says 'Inverse', 'Greywords', and 'Gaav' as well as 'Seyruun' now, doesn't it? Look. I'm not patient when it comes to things like this. I just found anything that remotely looked as if it would pertain to this case, and this is what I found. That's why I need your help."

"Why mine? If what you're saying is true, then what makes you think that I'll end up helping you?"

She turned her head and regarded him tiredly. "You're a good lawyer, Xel. Zelgadiss is a good cop. Val's a good kid. I want to know the truth, and you might be able to find it for yourself as well."

He pulled up to the curb to park, and she moved to the back seat. "Besides, I've already got a wire set up for your first payment. So shall we make this official?"

He was staring at the file, and for the briefest moment, she wondered if she had been wrong. Then he turned around and opened his eyes fully, staring her right in the face. "You've got yourself a lawyer, Naga. I'll do what I can, when I can. I've got another... unusual case right now that requires some delicate attention as well, but I'll take care of you both."

She nodded and exited the car, pulling out her luggage and walking up to the passenger-side door. Xelloss rolled down the window.

"Thank you, Xel. I really appreciate this."

"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Naga. Besides, I love unraveling a secret, especially one so... complicated."

She smiled, the all-too-familiar haughty expression gracing her features once again, and she handed him a card. "Have dinner with me in Atlas City in a month to let me know any progress. Call Jennifer or Bradley and book a time. I'll see you around, Mister Xelloss."

He mock saluted her and drove away, leaving behind Naga to breathe the noxious fumes of car exhaust. Picking up her dog and dragging her luggage behind her, she walked into the terminal and stood in an abysmally long line for her tickets and to check in her bags. What was up with Saillune's airports, anyway?

Finally settled in for the short flight to her home, Naga began to feel tension that she hadn't realized was there slowly seep from her body. She did what she could for her sister, her father, and her friends, as well as for her own peace of mind. What would come of it was still to be seen. She could only hope that she hadn't made a mistake.

With the information she had given Xelloss.

But even moreso with entrusting her little sister's safety to Zelgadiss.

* * *

A/N: I hope you've enjoyed this installment! After this, hopefully things will start to move along a bit quicker in the story (didn't I say that once before?); we're getting heavier into the plot now after all. There are breadcrumbs that I've dropped along the way (throughout the chapters) that hint at some of the upcoming events, as well as the glaringly obvious exposition in this chapter. Naga's my catalyst in this chapter. The question is: now that Amelia knows that Naga's not interested in Zel, will she be more open with her feelings to him? Of course, she doesn't know if Zel's interested in Naga, though... Mwahahahahaha!!!

And once again, a special set of thanks to everyone who's reviewed! **Cookie** (Long chapters, chock full of romance and angst... My favorite, too! Hope this one helped to sate your appetite!), **Kaeru Shisho** (Thank you! This is one of those chapters where not much happens physically, but there is a lot of interpersonal interaction that is very important to the plot – much of it centering around Naga. She's been extremely fun to – pardon the pun – flesh out. She's got her own agenda, as do some other characters, but she's doing a pretty good job of tugging here and there at the tangled web surrounding everyone. Time will tell if it works...), **Xeria Malstrum** (Ah, Amelia's just so big-hearted that she'd forget to breathe trying to help everyone else out. But it's a good thing Naga's intent on being a better sister to her, otherwise, she'd probably have glossed over Amelia's feelings, and our poor heroine would be sad... And, of course, I've got a chapter planned out for what happened between Xelloss & Filia, but I've given you a taste of the aftermath between Val and Filia. Hope you enjoyed!), **Ichiban Victory** (Sorry for making you late! But deep down inside, I relish the fact that I've written something that you enjoy so much! This chapter was also more sedate physically, but emotions were all over the place! I hope I make you late again... just kidding!), **Iris** (Well, thank you! I figure you guys have to wait so long for me to update, I'd better make it worth your while! Glad you're enjoying!), **SithKnight-Galen **(Yeah, my b-day was extremely fun, and made me feel young again... for about two weeks. I just took my kid to Disneyland yesterday, and I felt like I wanted to sit all day and not wait in hour-long lines for a minute-long ride... _sigh_ Woohoo! I'm glad you caught the bit about Zel. There's a tiny bit again in this chapter, but _something_ happened in Atlas City. It will come out eventually, of course. I can't leave you guys hanging forever!), **e-chan16** (I'm really glad to see a new review, so thank you! I'm happy that you like it!), **Tonkinette** (Hey, new reviewer and a fellow So-Cal resident who knows about Johnnie's! ;) I'm glad that I've caught your attention with my story, and that you're enjoying it. I hope I continue to keep it!), **Aisha C** (Thank you! Ah, Amelia wasn't jealous very long, but we'll see what happens! Jordan's coming home soon, so that's a weight off my mind... or is it...? Heh heh...), **Lina Gabriev** (Yeah, Naga's a normal – okay, maybe that word is pushing it – person with normal – okay, that's pushing it again – feelings about things. I figure her emotional reaction to things would be somewhat similar to her family members, having grown up with them, so if Amelia and Phil can worry and stew and feel guilty about things, then so can she. It makes her more human that way. I hope it's believable! Oh, and Xelloss didn't get invited because Amelia didn't want him and Val to fight. That's why she didn't invite Ken and Ryu either... Poor girl. It sucks being stuck in the middle...), **Stara Maijka** (Thanks! I love the feedback reviews give me, and though I usually try to stay on the path I've already laid out, it's nice to know what works and what doesn't. It also helps to lead me on side trips that can turn out interesting. You guys keep me honest, too. I'm glad that I can make these characters interesting and believable!), **jesphoenix05** (Damn straight! But she's too nice a girl to be selfish, even if she's entitled to it... Maybe we'll have to remedy that. _Winks_ Jordan's wise beyond his years... or is just extremely observant. And Lina! Well, of course! Right now, she's the queen! I'll have to remedy that as well...)

I don't say it enough... Hugs to you all!

Click the button and review!


	26. The Calm

* * *

Disclaimer: Slayers, Orphen, Fruits Basket, Harry Potter and their characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended. 

**Chapter 26**

_**The Calm**_

Hurricane Naga came and went, leaving in her wake confusion and bewilderment. Amelia tried to take her sister's visit in stride, but although Naga had explained that she was in no way interested in Zelgadiss _that_ way, it didn't guarantee that _he_ wasn't interested in _her_. If he only saw her as Naga's little sister, then she would be a fool to pursue a crush (yes, that was what it was, she finally admitted to herself) that wouldn't go anywhere. Over before it had a chance to begin.

_But_...

If there was a 0.001 percent chance that he may have feelings for her beyond mere friendship, then she was willing to take that chance!

Amelia sighed as she placed the last book away on the gray melamine-covered shelf. It was nearing the end of her shift at work, and for the third week in a row, she had hardly had a free moment to think. This was going to be her last chance to work full time before school started up again, so she was working five day split-shifts to fill the gaps in the schedule. Mister Jack was against working any of his employees so hard, but because of the approaching school year, many of his staff were cutting back on their hours. He needed Amelia to pick up the slack until he hired more people.

She was only too happy to help him out... especially after he agreed to pay her time-and-a-half for her second shifts. Hey, if she learned anything from Lina, it was to never pass up an opportunity to make more money for the same amount of work!

So the days trudged on, and she found herself bogged down with work. She no longer shared her free days with Lina, so they decided to take an indefinite break from their weekly sparring bouts. It wasn't as bad as Amelia initially expected, though. She spent much of her free time at work with Lina, and for her sparring sessions, Zelgadiss volunteered his time to continue her Muay Tuay lessons.

They'd spar mostly between her shifts at work, so every other day, she'd either meet him at his house or he'd meet her at the bookstore and then give her a ride to his house where they set up a temporary ring in his backyard. She was a quick study, and though she took her lumps, she easily learned how to avoid his tricks the next time. Of course, kickboxing was a difficult thing to explain to people when they saw the bruises on her shins or her forearms, so she began wearing long skirts at work until she got used to the constant pounding. This had even earned an appreciative smirk from Zelgadiss when he picked her up a week and a half ago.

"You look nice, Amelia," he had said one day as he pulled out of the parking lot after picking her up. She couldn't help but fiddle with the straps of her duffel bag. "But I'm not going to let that fool me. I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're wearing a skirt, you know." His lighthearted laugh had tickled her heart and made her blush.

Okay, so maybe it was a 0.01 percent chance. She sighed again at the memory.

He'd been so nice lately, but once again he had pulled one of his infamous disappearing acts. She hadn't seen him at all for the past week, and he hadn't given her an explanation or at least returned her calls.

"Yo! Earth to Amelia!"

Amelia jumped at the voice and choked back a scream. "Miss Lina!" she scolded, slapping her friend on the arm. "You know better than to sneak up on people."

Lina scratched her head. "Duh. I figured walking straight up to you wasn't 'sneaking' up on you. What are you staring at anyway? _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_? What, are you trying to figure out whether or not to buy it?"

"Huh? Oh." She realized that she had been staring at the blue and black cover as her mind pondered Zelgadiss. Pulling herself together, she shook her head. "No, I bought it when it came out and read it twice already. Did you want to borrow it?"

"Sure. I need something to kill time while I wait for my classes this quarter. Can you believe I've got to wait two whole hours between my Ancient Languages class and my Sociology class? Couldn't get into the one that I wanted..."

"Oh. That happens?"

"Sure, all the time. You should have seen me last year. I tried registering for my classes, and after _thirty minutes_ on the phone, I finally got a schedule that didn't conflict with anything else. I had a headache after that."

Amelia's stomach dropped a bit. Her nerves must have shown on her face as well, because Lina placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's not all that bad, you know. You're going to Orientation next week, right? I'll go with you if you want. I need to pick up some books anyway. Don't worry. They've got it set up so that you meet with a counselor first who will help you figure out which classes you need to take, and then a mentor who will help you figure out how to map out your classes so that you don't get out of class five minutes before your next one all the way on the other side of campus. After that, it's cake! Speaking of cake, let's go get dinner. I'm starved!"

Eating helped to calm her nerves, and by the time she was on the road home, she was looking forward to going to school to meet all sorts of new people. Yes, college was going to be a great experience!

* * *

Jordan's recovery was much quicker after Amelia's birthday. He hated hospitals, and he hated being poked and examined every time a nurse entered the room, so he put all his effort into getting better. His broken leg had healed rapidly, and though the doctors were loath to remove the cast, the x-rays all indicated that the bones had knit well. Although he didn't like to think on the fact that he had been in a coma for almost a month, then bed-ridden for the next week, and finally in three weeks of therapy, he couldn't deny the fact that his body actually needed all that the time to heal.

And now, he was finally going home.

Amelia, of course, had wanted to give him a huge coming-home party, but the second he got wind of it, he badgered her until she gave up on the idea. All he wanted to do was rest for a bit and then get back to the way things were before the accident. After all this time, it was still difficult for him to remember all the events of that night, and though it pained him to think about the fact that he almost lost his life, he wanted to turn his mind to uncover what really happened.

But first came returning to normalcy. As Phil pulled into the driveway, Jordan felt more than relieved to be home. Sure, he was the housekeeper's son, but this had been his home for as long as he could remember, and the Seyruun's were his family as well.

"Did you need help, Jordan?" Amelia asked him as she unbuckled her belt and retrieved her purse.

"No, I'm fine," he mumbled, already seeing that he would probably get that a lot over the next few weeks. His mother looked back at him from the front seat.

"You know that it's okay to ask."

"Yeah, Mom, I know." He rolled his eyes and opened the door, but before his feet hit the ground, Amelia was at his side offering her hand. "Oh, what the hell..." Shaking his head, he took her hand and allowed her to help him out of the car, but that was it. Before they could annoy him further, he trudged wearily up the walk to the front door.

His eyes took in the state of the grounds, his responsibility once upon a time ago, but not any longer since Phil had hired a gardener. Not that Jordan was a botanist, but he knew almost every plant in both yards so well, that he knew when they weren't being trimmed or trained properly. In his opinion, the place looked a mess.

"You guys _pay_ someone to make the yards look like this?" He muttered to Amelia as Beth fiddled with the lock.

"Daddy just wants you to concentrate on getting better, you know," she whispered.

"How can I get better knowing the gardener doesn't know his job?"

"Well, he's got to be doing something right. He's also doing five other houses on this block."

"Huh... Your dad could always save his money and let me go back to doing it."

Amelia grinned. "You're just jealous."

He had to smirk as he passed her on his way inside the house. "Shut up."

His room was as he had left it, except it was clean for a change. His bedroom had been the one room in the entire house that his mother did not have free reign in to tidy up, but he figured that this time was an exception. Luckily, he didn't have anything too embarrassing lying around. After waving everyone off, he eased himself into his desk chair and turned on his computer, happy to be home, but happier not to be stuck in a bed. All he wanted was for things to be back to the way they were.

Two months of unread email nearly floored him, but after wading through it all, he realized that the majority of them had been sent within the past couple of weeks. "Get well soon" or "I hope you're up on your feet" or "I'd better see you at school" all dotted his messages, many of which were from people who he didn't think knew he existed. Dang. Did this mean that he would have to write thank-you emails? Maybe just one mass sending...

His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Was he hallucinating?

"_Jordan,_

_It's good to hear that you're doing better. Hey, I just wanted to say sorry for picking on you at graduation. I hope you still don't hold that against me. I really hope you get well soon. Take care of Amelia._

_Chad_"

Chad? Chad Denton? Apologizing???

"Amelia!" he yelled through his open door as he always used to do, and then immediately regretted it when he heard all sorts of commotion outside. Oh, geez. Now the whole damn family was going to come running. "Amelia, I've got to show you something on the computer!" he amended just in time. He could hear his mother's frantic voice coming closer.

"It's alright, Miss Beth. I'll find out for you," Amelia said to soothe her before appearing in his doorway. "What's up?"

"Geez, Mom's such a pain lately," he grumbled.

Amelia entered his room and sat down on his bed. "She's just worried about you. We all are."

He rubbed his face. "I know. I know. I just want everyone to... oh, I don't know."

"You want everyone to treat you the way they did before, right? You don't want to be treated as if you would break."

He hung his head. Of course Amelia would understand. He was just about to ask her about it when she punched him in his good arm.

"Ow! Why'd you do that?"

She smiled knowingly. "See? You didn't break."

As he rubbed his arm, a smirk crept to his face, and he pointed at the screen. "Oh, yeah. Do you want to explain why I got this email? What? Are you back with him?"

Amelia read the screen and frowned. "Why did he send this to you?"

"I thought _you'd_ tell _me_."

"Huh. I don't know. I haven't really spoken with him in ages. Maybe he heard about what happened to you and really feels bad. He wasn't really a bad guy after all, you know."

"You broke up with him."

"Yeah, but give me some credit. There was a reason I went out with him in the first place. He's very nice and attentive, and when we were together, he made me laugh all the time. But he's got another side to him that I just didn't like. It doesn't make him a bad person, though."

"Sounds like you've forgiven him."

"It takes too much effort to stay angry all the time. Besides, he really went downhill after we broke up. I don't ever remember seeing him act so callously to anyone until then. I hate to think that I was the cause, but it did seem that way." Her face grew thoughtful for a moment, but she winked. "Don't worry. I'll never get back together with him. That would just be brainless."

"You have someone else in mind, huh?"

The look on her face and the sudden change in color of her cheeks confirmed it, though she shook her head. Jordan had a pretty good idea who it may be. He just hoped that he would treat her _better_ than she deserved. After all, her face had that dreamy expression that she got whenever she watched a particularly romantic movie or heard some lovey-dovey story.

"Amelia, should I send a reply to him?"

"Huh? Who?"

"Chad. Hello? Where have you been?"

She blushed again. "Sorry. My mind must have wandered. Um, sure, if you want. Give him my best, okay?" And with that, she excused herself and went back upstairs.

Jordan laughed to himself. If this was any indication that things were back to normal, then everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

Lina finished stuffing the last of her cheeseburger into her mouth before grabbing her backpack from the passenger seat. Chewing it in four bites and washing it down with a swig from her water bottle, she finished her lunch and got out of her truck. Shrugging into her backpack, she set across the parking lot to the campus of DBU.

DBU. The original official name for the school was 'The Saillune Delta Base Military Academy,' born of a time when Saillune was still on uneasy terms with its neighbor, Kataart. When the 'cold war' ended five years ago and the city demilitarized many of its establishments, the school's doors were opened to the public. The name, however, was a haunting reminder of its beginnings as a military school, so with the approval of the Board of Directors, the nickname 'DBU of the Arts and Sciences' was adopted as the unofficial official name. Many of its students were unaware of the school's beginnings, but Lina, being a sponge for history, even recent history, had enjoyed the school's introductory film on _her_ orientation day.

As she walked across campus to the quad to meet Amelia, she waved her hellos to acquaintances or familiar faces. School was starting next week, and many of the students had already moved into the dorms or nearby apartments. After begging her father to let her live at the apartments and being flat-out refused, she had decided that she would just have to pay for it herself. It was going to be tough, going to school full-time and then working possibly two jobs, but it would be worth it in the end if she could finally move out. Maybe she could even talk Amelia and Filia into being her roommates.

Upon reaching the quad, she scanned the crowds of freshmen milling about looking lost or nervous. She had promised Amelia that she would help walk her through the matriculation process before she bought her books.

A familiar head of black hair caught her eye, and she found Amelia standing in the shade of a eucalyptus tree with two other girls. She saw Lina and waved her arms widely to get her attention. She looked like she was trying to fly.

"Miss Lina!" she was yelling. "Over here!"

"Hey, how's it going?" Lina asked, dropping her backpack on the ground.

"Great! When I got here, I met Miss Cleao and Miss Tohru, and they helped me through orientation and registration. Miss Cleao is friends with Majic from school!"

"Nice to meet you," Lina said, offering her hand to the two girls. She should have known that an outgoing girl like Amelia would find friends before her first day of school. And, since she already saw the counselor and registered for her classes, Lina's work was done. All without having to lift a finger!

The girl introduced as Cleao was very pretty with long blonde hair and wide greenish-blue eyes and was the more animated of the two. She was about as tall as Filia - what was it with tall blondes anyway? The other girl, a cute brunette with green eyes and a pleasant smile, was more subdued; she reminded Lina of Sylphiel.

Weird.

"Hey, aren't you Lina Inverse?" Cleao asked after the introductions were made, tossing her hair back over her shoulders. "You were in my Physics class last year. Professor Whatshisname..."

"Chambers. Yeah, that's right. You sat in the front of the class. You must like science."

"It's interesting enough, but I sat in the front because he was a cutie!" she laughed.

"Miss Cleao!"

"I sat in the back so he wouldn't see me if I ever fell asleep."

"Miss Lina!"

"Aw, Amelia, I never did... for very long. Besides, he was the easy teacher."

Tohru suddenly lowered her head in shame. "Oh, he was the _easy_ one?" she whined. "I have to re-take his class this quarter! Oh, I must be an idiot..."

"Of course you're not, Miss Tohru! Not everyone understands physics anyway. I'm taking the same class, so we can figure it out together, alright?" Amelia piped in, patting her newest friend on the shoulder.

Tohru nodded and seemed to shake herself out of it. She pumped her fist in the air, eerily like Amelia, and declared, "You're right! I'll do my best, and I'm sure this time I'll be able to pass the class!"

_Really_ weird.

Out of their sight, Lina caught Cleao's eyes and smirked. The other girl just shook her head and smiled. It appeared Tohru did that all the time, just like Amelia.

"So what's your schedule like, Amelia?" Lina asked, trying to move the conversation along.

Amelia dug into her backpack and began rattling off her schedule. "Let's see... I've got Physics 102 Monday and Wednesday at eight o'clock, English 103 Monday and Wednesday at ten thirty, History 102 Monday and Wednesday at one o'clock, Public Speaking and Debate Tuesday and Thursday at nine o'clock, Physics lab Tuesday and Thursday at noon, Economics 101 Tuesday and Thursday at three o'clock, and CPR and First Aid Friday at eight o'clock. I took that one to fill up my time and to make sure I stayed current with my certification."

The three girls all stared at Amelia as if she had grown a horn in the middle of her forehead.

"How many classes _is_ that?" Cleao asked, her jaw hanging open.

"Five, really, if you don't count Lab and First Aid."

"But, they _are_ classes," Tohru confirmed.

"Yeah, but they're both only three units each."

Lina took her best friend by the shoulders. "The counselor and the mentor _suggested _that schedule?"

"No, but they said that if it ever gets too much, I can always drop a class later..."

"Amelia! You're taking twenty six units in a _quarter_-system! Do you know what that means? It means that your brain is going to leak out of your head somewhere around Halloween if you're not careful. When are you going to have time to study?"

"Well, since I've cut back my hours at work, I'm only going to be working Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I'll study after school."

Lina just shook her head. Amelia was either the most determined young woman she had ever met, or she was the craziest one. "You realize that you'll never see him once school starts, right?"

"Well, I can't help it if my schedule's full. He'll get used to it," she answered testily, trying to hide her blush by putting away her schedule.

"Who?" Tohru asked innocently.

Lina grinned. "Oh, nobody important, apparently."

Amelia busied herself with zipping up her backpack. "Well, Mister Zelgadiss disappears for weeks without telling anyone, so why should I worry if I don't see him for a while?"

"Boyfriend trouble?" Cleao asked.

"He's not my boyfriend."

Cleao kept talking as if Amelia hadn't said a word. "Yeah, I know the type. Completely clueless when it comes to this sort of thing, but always expecting you to be there at his beck and call, without wanting to put any kind of commitment into the relationship, even though you've always been there for him. Unappreciative, selfish, stingy, lazy..."

"Miss Cleao?" Tohru interrupted. Cleao had been becoming increasingly agitated, and had just shredded her own schedule.

"Oh no! Dammit, Orphen. Look what you made me do..." she muttered to herself as she tried to piece together the paper.

"I'm sure your friend will want to see you, Miss Amelia," Tohru decided, smiling happily.

Lina raised an eyebrow. "You're very... cheery, aren't you, Tohru?"

Cleao snorted. "Yeah, wouldn't you be if you had _two_ boyfriends?"

It was Amelia's and Lina's turn to let their mouths hang open in shock. "What?"

"Yeah, they don't like each other, either, but from what I understand, they hated each other before Tohru."

"And you're dating them both?" Amelia asked, trying not to appear dismayed.

"Huh? Who?" The poor girl was clearly confused.

Cleao shaded her eyes and squinted at something behind them. "Speak of the devils... Hey, Tohru. Yuki and Kyo are waiting for you."

She looked over, and sure enough, two handsome young men were standing several yards away, trying desperately to appear as if they didn't know each other. One was a dreamy black-haired youth with soulful grey eyes and a small haunted smile. The other was a carrot-top, just like Lina, but his matching ruby eyes seemed suspicious and angry. But when Tohru spotted them and waved, it seemed that the tension between them subsided and their smiles became genuine, not forced.

"An amazing effect you have on them," Lina noted.

"Oh, I'm sure they were just getting tired of waiting, that's all. Well, it was nice meeting you both. Miss Lina. Miss Amelia." She shook their hands. "And Miss Cleao, don't forget to give Mister Orphen the rice balls I gave you. I'll make another batch next week, okay?"

"Sure thing! See you later," she said, waving after her friend. Turning to Amelia and Lina, she apologized, "Hey, I'd better get going soon, too. I've still got to see what I need to do to set up my class. I'll see you guys later!"

"Bye!"

The two girls were left alone, but Lina couldn't help but wonder at Cleao's excuse and asked Amelia about it.

"Oh that. Miss Cleao is going to teach a fencing class this year. She's really good at it. I think she won the World Championship a few years ago, and she was only fifteen at the time. Maybe we can take her class next quarter. That would be so fun!"

Normally used to taking Amelia's energetic outbursts in stride, Lina was about to offer a "maybe" but found herself joining in the excitement. "Yeah. That would be cool, wouldn't it? But, hey, we've got to buy our books. I don't want to get stuck with all the brand new ones. The used books are loads cheaper and sometimes have great notes or gossip in the margins. Come on. Let's go."

They spent the rest of the day at the bookstore (dropping three hundred dollars on new and used books) and the student center where Lina showed Amelia the best nooks to study or sleep or watch TV or play pool or video games... She was only too glad to return home at the end of the day.

She just hoped that Amelia would be able to handle all of the workload she had piled upon herself.

* * *

"You're late."

"Well, 'hello' to you, too, Zelgadiss," Xelloss said cheerily as he pulled off his coat and hung it up on the rack. He dumped his briefcase on the couch. "Pleasant as always, I see."

"The pizza guy got here before you did. That's a new record." Zelgadiss closed the door behind him.

Xelloss frowned. "You probably called him well before I left."

Zelgadiss smirked. Got him. "Admit it. You're getting conservative in your old age. That 'fast' little car of yours can't go as fast as it should."

"Funny. When are the others going to arrive?"

They wandered into the kitchen where the wonderful aroma of pepperoni and supreme pizzas greeted them. Xelloss lifted the lid of one of the boxes and took a deep breath.

Zelgadiss shook his head. "They, unlike you, called to let me know that they were going to be late. They'll be here in an hour."

"Great! Just enough time for a nice game, wouldn't you say?" His eyes opened and his demeanor completely changed. "Besides, there's something I'd like to speak with you about."

Zelgadiss stopped as he was pulling out a stack of plates from the cupboard. Xelloss was using his serious tone, which only made him worry. If he was serious about something, then it was usually something extremely important. Resuming his task, he placed the plates next to the pizza boxes and began digging around his pantry for some napkins.

He tried to sound unaffected. "Set up the board, then. Beer?"

"Of course."

After freshening up, Xelloss wandered over to the bookshelf and pulled out a beautiful wooden chessboard. Placing it carefully on the coffee table, he withdrew the pieces from their drawer and set up the board. He moved a pawn and waited for Zel.

Zelgadiss carried in two plates of pizza and two beers and set them down on the table. As he sat down, Xelloss pulled his briefcase next to him.

"What's this all about?" Zel asked, regarding the board and moving his own pawn. He took a bite of his pepperoni pizza.

"A couple of things, actually." Xelloss moved his knight and took a sip of his beer. "I was able to obtain the information you requested a while ago. It took some finagling, but I got it."

Zelgadiss almost dropped his beer. "Did it say what I think it did? There's a connection, right?"

Xelloss shook his head. "It's shaky, Zelgadiss. Everything you have is circumstantial. I would need more than just a piece of paper that says that he knew what was going on. A lot of people did."

Zel tried to control his frustration. Another dead end. He moved his knight.

"But," Xelloss continued, "I've recently come across some information that may help in your private, unauthorized investigation." He smirked as he moved his bishop.

"And what will it cost me? Especially if I can't use it in a court of law?" He countered with his own bishop.

Xelloss pulled out a manila folder from his briefcase and handed it to Zelgadiss. "I've got another case that crosses paths with yours. Perhaps we can kill more than two birds with one stone."

Zel stared at the folder, scrutinizing the cover and trying to determine if he should even open it. Xelloss moved a knight into the center of the board.

"Isn't this a breach of client confidentiality?"

"Perhaps, but there's a lot of information in there that you may find interesting. I can't build a case on that either, but combine the two, and it may point you in the right direction. It's your move, by the way."

He frowned as he castled. "Can I ask whose case this is?"

"You can ask, but it's easier if you open the folder. I don't think she'll mind."

Normally, curiosity wouldn't rule his actions, but in this case, the mere fact that Xelloss was dropping more hints than usual moved his hand. His eyes scanned the documents within, and he put down his beer.

"This is... Who gave this to you?"

"Naga."

"Naga? Seyruun? Why you?"

"She knew that I would dig around and do what I could to get to the bottom of things."

"So what did you find out?"

"I found out that it's more difficult than I thought to find out what the connections were. Not my area of expertise. It is, however, yours, though you may not believe it. Did you have any idea that there was more to it?"

"No. Not at all. I mean, I always heard the rumors, but I never asked... either of them."

"I wouldn't imagine the _murder_ of your mother is a subject they'd bring up out of the blue. How long did it take for you to tell anyone of _your_ suspicions about the deaths of your parents?"

"You know that you're the only one I've discussed this with, Xelloss. And if this is how you handle confidentiality, let me ask _you_ if anyone else knows."

"Don't get me wrong, Zelgadiss. I wouldn't risk something like that. I phoned Naga this morning and proposed the exchange. This information to help your personal case in exchange for your help to uncover the truth."

"I don't know..."

"Think on it, but remember that if you say 'no' then I'll need you to sign an affidavit of non-disclosure. I can't have this... sensitive material being leaked to the wrong people."

As he feigned studying the board, Zelgadiss' head was bombarded with random but poignant thoughts. _Was there a connection between his parents' deaths and Amelia's mother's death? Did this have any connection to the current problems the Seyruun's were experiencing? If there was a connection, was that why his Captain wouldn't let him know the details of the investigation? Was **he** under suspicion as well? If he was watching Amelia, did that mean that someone else was watching **him**?_

"I take it Amelia doesn't know about all this either?" he asked, moving a rook.

"Naga didn't want her to know, for some reason. Her father, either, for that matter. Speaking of which, how is the little princess?"

Zel checked his watch. Gourry was late. "She's fine. I haven't spoken with her in a while, though."

"Why not?"

"Busy."

"I'm sure you are... So, who is she?"

"Who?"

"Whatever woman had touched your fancy. I couldn't help but notice the pink towel and the herbal shampoo in your bathroom. The last time I was here, 'girly' wasn't the way I'd describe your décor."

Despite himself, Zelgadiss found himself blushing. "It's none of your business."

"Really? Does Amelia know?"

"Why is it any of your concern whose belongings are in my house?"

"I just thought that you were... becoming close with her. It was obvious at that little shindig of hers that you were very attracted to each other."

He was silent for several moments while his eyes concentrated on the layout of the pieces. His mind, however, was stuck on Xelloss' last comment. Damn. He wasn't as careful as he had thought. After moving his knight, he muttered, "That obvious?"

"To anyone with eyes." Xelloss took the knight with his bishop.

"Even if I am attracted to her, nothing's going to happen."

"Why not? What's wrong with indulging yourself?"

"I'm not you, Xelloss."

"That hurts, you know. There are flings, and there are relationships. I'll have you know that I've never cheated on anyone I've really cared about. A bit of advice: if you've finally gotten yourself a woman, then I'm glad for you, but if you're working on another one on the side, then you're a fool."

"Oh, the master of relationships is doling out advice?"

"Self preservation. Filia is Amelia's friend. If she finds out that I knew that you were two-timing the princess, what do you think would happen?"

Zel snorted. "You really are whipped."

"Nothing wrong with being beaten up by a beautiful woman, especially when making up is so much fun."

"You're crazy. Checkmate."

Zelgadiss excused himself and went into the bathroom to remove all traces of the mystery woman's things, storing them safely in his room. After some mild teasing from Xelloss about the towel's fate, they cleared the chessboard and set up the poker table. Zel breathed a sigh of relief when Gourry finally showed up with Zangulus, and they began their poker night. For a few hours, Zelgadiss' mind was diverted with the prospect of bluffing his friends out of their money and good old fashioned male bonding. No relationship talk. No personal talk. Just four guys having a good time.

But ever lurking in the back of his mind was the thought of the associations suddenly opened up and laid before him. Who else was involved? How far did this reach? He'd just have to find out for himself, even if it meant jeopardizing a potentially rewarding relationship with a young woman whom he had sworn to protect.

Xelloss, as usual, had put Zangulus and Zelgadiss out of the game on consecutive hands, so they decided to call it a night. Gourry had noticed his old partner's pensiveness, and silently wondered at the cause. Deciding to ask him about it later, he let them all know that the next poker night would be at his house in a couple of weeks. Zangulus boasted all the way to his truck that the next time, he'd be the one to put Gourry out of the game. Xelloss just shook his head at the retreating pair.

"I'll do it," Zel told Xelloss at the front door. "It will take some time, and I won't make any promises, but I'll keep working on it."

Xelloss merely smiled and saluted before closing the door behind him.

"I thought you would."

* * *

Zelgadiss checked his wrist and frowned. It was already four o'clock, and Amelia wasn't at work yet. Lina wasn't there either. He put down his newspaper beside his empty espresso cup and wandered around the bookstore until he found an elderly woman working in the children's section. After a mild inquiry into Amelia's schedule, he discovered that she had already started school and had cut back her hours to cover Fridays and the weekends. It had been that way for at least three and a half weeks now.

He couldn't help but be a bit disappointed at the discovery. As much as he hated to admit it, over a month without seeing or hearing from her was becoming frustrating. Of the three places where she could normally be found, he could only visit her at the one where she was less likely to be. Not wanting to dwell on it, he left the store and wandered over to the mall.

Well, maybe he could have let her know that he was going out of town or something, but he didn't want to outright lie to her. Maybe he also could have returned her calls, but then he would have to explain why he didn't want to continue their lessons every other day.

No. He had taken a huge step away from her because he didn't want to explain how he had become so used to her presence that he was beginning to expect it.

It had begun innocently enough. He had overheard Amelia and Lina talking about their schedules and their workouts when he decided to open his big mouth and suggest kickboxing lessons with him at his house. After shutting Lina up when she began teasing him about inviting Amelia over to his _home_, they agreed that they would work out every other day for a couple of weeks. Amelia's split-shift allowed her time to get in some exercise and stay closer to the store during her break. She wouldn't have to drive all the way up the hill, just to turn around and drive all the way back down four hours later every day.

So, of course, after the third time she showed up at his house before he did, he decided that the best thing for them to do was for him to give her the spare key to his house so she could let herself in and get changed. And, of course, since her split was at lunchtime, they'd take turns making lunch before working out. And, of course, since their lessons didn't last more than a couple of hours, they'd spend the remainder of her split at the beach or watching TV or playing video games. And, of course, since she couldn't return to work all sweaty, he let her use the guest bathroom to shower and freshen up.

Easy how a simple plan could backfire on him. Of course.

The little reminders of Amelia's presence were scattered throughout his house, though she was always very careful not to disturb his order: one of her gi's on the bed in the guest room after she had washed and dried it, one of her books lying on the coffee table with the little blue tassel hanging off the edge, and one of her pink towels hanging in the bathroom.

It had totally slipped his mind that her towel was in the hall bathroom, so when Xelloss brought it up, he tried to avoid letting him know that it was hers. And then he had to stop him from throwing away the pink chipped mug that Amelia liked to use with some lame excuse about returning it. Now, knowing the way Xelloss thought, he probably had some wild idea that Zelgadiss was involved in some secret love affair behind Amelia's back. All of this just to convince him that his relationship with Amelia was purely platonic.

Platonic, but...

Zelgadiss stared at the window display, wondering what he was doing. A peace offering? A distraction so she wouldn't be angry with him? There was no way she would fall for such a thing... would she?

He went into the store anyway and requested the box from behind the counter. As he paid for it, he fought off the intensifying feeling of annoyance at the fact that he was doing it all in the first place.

_Maintain your cover..._ Yeah. That was it.

After the short drive home, he decided he may as well bite the bullet and call her. He couldn't deny his growing attraction to her, but in his position, the attraction was a _distraction_. Now, he had another, more selfish, reason to get close to her, but close was the last thing he needed to be. The best thing for him to do was to pack up all her things and return them to her before she became too used to coming over. And he'd need to get his key back, as well...

"_Hello?_"

"Amelia?"

"_Mister Zelgadiss?_"

"Yeah. Sorry I've been out of touch lately. Er... Work stuff."

"_It's okay. I figured as much._" She didn't sound upset at all. In a way, _that_ disappointed _him_. "_I've been really busy at school anyway. I didn't realize how much there was to do._"

"Are you enjoying it, though?"

"_Oh, yeah! It's great! I've met so many people, and I've made so many new friends. They've invited me to go to the movies this weekend, but I've got to work. Oh, yeah, I don't think I told you yet. I'm only working on Fridays and weekends now, so I don't know when we'll be able to work out again. Maybe when things calm down a little bit we can start up again?_"

"Sure... But you should keep up at least once a week in the meantime. Are you sparring with Lina, then?"

"_No. She's busy, too. I really don't have any time during the week. I'm usually playing catch-up, and it's only the fourth week of school._"

"How many classes are you taking?"

"_Umm... five... and a lab and a first aid class._" She sounded embarrassed.

"Amelia!"

"_I know!_" She sighed. "_Miss Lina warned me after I registered and she saw my schedule, but I really thought I could handle it. I just need to apply myself more, that's all._" It sounded as though she were trying to convince herself.

"Well, if you ever need to work off any steam, just let me know."

"_You're volunteering to be my punching bag?_" she joked, and he smirked.

"I'm volunteering my time, if that's what you're really asking."

There was an uncomfortable pause before she spoke. "_Well, how can I count on you to be there when you're always disappearing like you just did? I mean, I understand your reasons. Your job comes first, of course. But if you can't even return a phone call, then how can you volunteer your time?_"

"You're right. Look, Amelia, I really am very sorry. I'm..."

..._trying not to care about you more than I already do..._

"...very busy with my current job. It's difficult to explain..."

..._how I'm planning on using you to get information that I need..._

"_It's okay, Mister Zelgadiss. If you'd just call me to let me know if you'll be able to make it, then I'd feel much better. When I don't hear from you, I begin to think about what happened with Mister Gourry, and... well, I don't know if you're alright or not._"

He began to feel the increasing strumming of guilt building in his gut. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to make you worry."

"_I can't help it. Besides, I... I miss you._"

This time, it was his turn to be silent. Damn. It wasn't just his own feelings that he was trying to come to terms with. It was becoming increasingly clear to him that Amelia was beginning to care for him as well, perhaps moreso than he had initially thought. He wasn't leading her on; he truly enjoyed her company and her presence, but he couldn't let her tie herself to someone whose objective in their friendship had just been made personal.

"Can I come over?" he found himself saying. Quickly covering the phone, he quietly cursed himself for his weakness as he kicked the wall. He quickly returned the phone to his ear.

"_Um... sure, I guess. What for?_"

"I've got something for you." He stared at the bag in his hand.

"_For me?_" She sounded excited. "_I only have First Aid tomorrow, so I can probably finish anything I don't get to tonight tomorrow morning after class. Have you had dinner yet? I'll let Miss Beth know to expect one more for dinner._"

"Uh, sure. I'll be there in a half hour."

After he hung up the phone, he realized that he had never asked her if she wanted her things back. Deciding to be proactive, he gathered the things that she had left behind, put them in a bag with her gift, and drove up to the Seyruun residence.

* * *

Amelia hung up the phone and stared at the Economics book laid out before her. She never realized just how much she could _not_ like a subject until she had Econ. Not that it was very difficult to understand, but she couldn't grasp the principles. Even if a product was considered _elastic_, there were some people who considered it _inelastic_ and would buy it at any cost. Take her sister's clothing line, for example. All of it was something that people could live without, yet there were people out there who would go naked if White Serpent Fashions went out of business.

Generalizations making the rule were something that Amelia didn't understand, so it made taking this class very difficult when she kept bringing up situations where the rule didn't necessarily apply. And, for the first time, she thought her teacher didn't really like her that much.

So she sat at her desk, staring at her book, trying to will the information into her brain. Oh, so far, she had done well on her quizzes for the simple fact that she could recite the important points by rote, but that wouldn't help her understand the concepts enough for the midterms. If there was just a way she could download the information directly into her brain, just like in the _Matrix_...

"Amelia! Dinner!" Jordan yelled from downstairs.

She jumped in surprise, and realized that she had been replaying the movies in her mind, especially all the cool special effects, which had sparked her wondering about the training involved in the fight sequences, which had inevitably led her to remembering her own training with Zelgadiss, and how nice it had been to spend those couple of weeks with him experiencing mutually enjoyable activities...

Yeah, right.

She had really loved being able to spend time with him walking along the beach or playing games or talking or even just doing nothing. He had seemed so relaxed and (dare she say it?) happy. The little creases at the corners of his eyes had softened, and he didn't look so solemn. He had even taken to teasing her every now and again about her high ideals and her 'justice speeches' that she had a tendency to spout whenever she witnessed some kind of misconduct. She had received the ribbing in stride, especially when she teased him back about his unconstructive criticisms. Even _that_ had earned a smirk from him.

Amelia kept trying to find excuses for his more approachable demeanor (a pay-raise at work?) but secretly, she kept hoping that _she_ was the cause. Her eyes traveled to the little key, hanging on a hook at her desk below the picture of the two of them at the car show. He had given her the key to his house so that she wouldn't have to be inconvenienced by having to wait for him...

"Geez, Amelia!" Jordan said, pushing open her door. "College is really zapping your brain. I called you downstairs five minutes ago. Your friend's already here, you know."

"Mister Zelgadiss?"

"Yeah. Real talkative guy. We're all waiting for you so we can eat. Can't this wait until after dinner?" he asked, poking at the Economics book as if it would bite him back.

As if waking from a dream, she nodded her head and mutely followed him downstairs. They were eating in the kitchen, but an extra chair had been pulled up to the table for Zelgadiss. When they entered the room, Beth began serving the food, and Zelgadiss stopped his conversation with her father long enough to say hello to her. She took her seat next to him, and they ate dinner, idly chatting about Jordan's recovery and school as well as Amelia's classes at the University.

For the life of her, she couldn't remember dinner very well afterwards. Her brain was awash with thoughts of coefficients of friction, supply and demand, sitting closely beside Zelgadiss, the catharsis of Oedipus, points and counterpoints, Zelgadiss' eyes as he smiled at her, China's extensive empire before western influences, and which book she would read on the weekends at story time. It was not until the dishes were cleared and everyone melted away into the house that she finally came to herself.

"Amelia?" Zelgadiss asked, gently grabbing her arm to stop her. He pulled her around and looked right into her face. "Are you alright? You seem..."

..._like I can't function properly when you're near me?_

"I'm just worried about midterms," she said, substituting one excuse for her real one.

"Well, you do have a lot on your plate. Are you having trouble with something?"

_Yes. You. I've never felt so strongly about someone, and yet I still know so little about you. I wish you would open up to me._

"Economics," she blurted out. Now wasn't the time for all this. She could barely keep her mind on her work as it was.

"Well, then. I aced Economics. Did you need some help?"

_Yes. _

_No._

At her prolonged silence, he smirked. "Hey, I know just what you need right now."

_You?_

He reached into a paper bag and pulled out a box. Suddenly, the haze in her mind cleared as she took the colorful item. "Oh! 'Wingardium II'? This just came out today!"

"I saw it, and I knew that you'd want it since you finished the first one a while ago."

"That's so sweet. Thank you!" Without thinking, she threw her arms around him and gave him a squeeze. He returned the hug awkwardly.

He exhaled, tickling her neck with his breath. "See? I knew it would come in handy."

She released him, but something suddenly occurred to her. Her eyes narrowed. "But you got this for me before you knew that I was worried about midterms. Are you really just buttering me up so that I won't be mad at you for not calling for a month?"

She was teasing, of course, but it was cute how he looked like he had just been caught with feathers in his mouth.

"Er... well, that is..."

"It's okay if you are, you know," she said, winking at him.

_It's okay, because you're just being... you._

"I can't pull one over on you, can I?"

"Not this time. Especially when you're going to promise to keep in touch with me, even if you're on your special assignment, just so that I know that you're safe."

He seemed to falter for a split second, but his small genuine smile appeared on his face. "As you wish, Amelia."

Emboldened, she took his free hand. "Come on. I want to try this out right now. You can help me with Economics after I try the first level."

She pulled him along behind her and went upstairs to her bedroom. He seemed hesitant at first, but when she pulled up a chair next to hers at the desk, he visibly relaxed. He placed his paper bag on the floor next to him as he sat.

"What's in the bag?" she asked innocently as she put the disk in the computer. Her eyes were taking in the opening graphics and the instructions.

Zelgadiss contemplated the question for a moment as his observational skills took over and his eyes absorbed her room. A shiny object hanging on a hook on her desk caught his attention, as well as a picture that he was secretly glad that she had forced him to take. With a calm expression and a small smile, he answered, "Nothing."

His eyes had also taken in the picture of Amelia and her mother from so long ago. She was a cute little girl who clearly adored her mother, holding her elegant hand and looking up with unconditional love at her beautiful face. Zelgadiss had almost asked Amelia right then and there about her mother, but something held him back. Another time, another place, he convinced himself. Pace yourself.

But he knew that he couldn't just arbitrarily ask her questions about the most painful experience in her life. Amelia was very open about many things about herself, but despite that, he couldn't bring himself to do anything that would intentionally cause her pain. Having her right there in front of him, contented over such a simple thing pushed back all his mercenary thoughts of using her for information.

_Just let her be happy._

Amelia looked at her watch, the one he had given her, and decided, "I'll only play for thirty minutes. Then you can help me with my homework."

"So what am _I_ going to do for thirty minutes, your highness?" he asked, smirking at her. He was teasing her again. But then again, teasing or flirting?

"I'm sure you'll think of something," she said snootily, tossing her hair and affecting an air of royalty.

"Of course, Milady. I guess I'll brush up on this dastardly subject before I come to your aid," he laughed as he picked up the dreaded Economics book.

She had been playing the game for fifteen minutes, enjoying the unfolding story with a whole new set of characters and completely forgetting that Zelgadiss was even in the room with her, when something flew by her head and hit the computer screen. It bounced off and rolled onto the floor under her desk. She looked at the carpet to see what it was, when something hit the back of her head.

"Mister Zelgadiss!" she yelled, slapping the next paper football out of his hand.

He was leaning back in his chair with the open book on his lap and an arsenal of paper projectiles at the ready. A playful look was on his face, and her heart leapt at the thought that he still had a childish side to him. The closest she had seen to it was when he played video games with her, but it still wasn't quite the same. She wondered if anyone else had ever seen him like this. It was very endearing.

"Well, I thought of _something_," he said, flicking another one at her.

She batted it away with a laugh, and took cover behind her chair after retrieving the ones he had already sent her way. Firing back, she scored a direct hit to his nose, earning a mock glare.

"You won't get away with this," he threatened, lining up another shot.

"You wouldn't hit an unarmed girl, would..."

_plink._

"...you..."

The war was on.

* * *

He couldn't say why he did it. Though he eventually lost their little paper war, he had to admit that he was glad he had started it. Her demeanor had changed so dramatically that he worried if she was working herself too hard. It was as if her bouncy and vivacious personality had been mired down by school and work. He was glad he could break her free of the weight, even for just a few minutes.

There was just something about her youthful spirit and her carefree attitude that was having an effect on him. There was something about her that made him think that even in the most stressful or bleakest times, something good could result from it. Something about her made him think that _he_ could also bring out the good in a situation as well.

Maybe he didn't _have_ to compromise his ethics if he just let things develop naturally. He could discover more about her simply because he _wanted_ to, not because of some cold case from ten years ago. And though he fell into her life because he was assigned to protect her, perhaps it was just life's way of re-introducing them. After all, he hadn't put on false airs or tried to deceive her in any way.

He was truly beginning to like her. A lot.

For the first time since he had met Amelia, Zelgadiss was beginning to feel free in their budding relationship. For the first time in ages, he was allowing himself to slowly fall in love.

* * *

Black-gloved hands gripped the cel phone as the man watched the black Mustang drive away from the house. A scowl darkened his features as he realized his time was quickly running out.

"We've got a problem," he growled into the phone. "I don't know how much longer I can stay in position. The boy and the housekeeper are home now, so it's harder to pull off. If none of the packages were the right ones, then I'm running out of options... Look, if you don't know what the hell they look like, then how am _I_ supposed to know? Well, if the girl is the key, then I'll just have to deliver the girl."

Almost shattering the phone as he threw it on the floor of the car, he picked up the carefully-detailed schedule of the Seyruun household's movements, and he began to plan...

* * *

A/N: Push and pull. Isn't that what makes romances great? Zel's finally giving in to the gentle but persistent pull of Amelia, but does that mean they get together and the story's over? Heck no! Get ready. First comes 'The Calm', and then comes...

Hugs to everyone who've stuck by me and have continued to read (and special hugs to my beta and to those who review!). I've been taken with another devastating series of migraines (do they really last more than a week, even with medication?) so I'm just really really happy to have gotten this chapter out. I'm probably not going to update for a while – I _really _need to beta a couple of chapters for a friend that I've been putting off until my head clears and I can actually think straight (sorry XM!). (The chess game that Zelgadiss and Xelloss played is based on a game my husband played. Obviously, not all the moves are there, but I tried to pace the strategy along with their dialogue. Not necessary, I know, but I'm a nut.) Until next time!

**Ichiban Victory** (Time is flying even more now in the story, and we get to see a little bit more about Naga's case, as well as Zelgadiss' case. I think for now, Zel needs a chance to grow, so things will be moving along. By the way, the inscription on the back of Amelia's watch is in homage to the old movies where the leading lady has a watch given to her by a mysterious love that only she knows. I hope you enjoyed this lengthy chapter!), **Kaeru Shisho** (How's this for a bit of schemes within schemes? Summer had thrown everyone together, but now that school's started, time has become an important commodity, and both Amelia and Zelgadiss are feeling the effect of the other's absence. Absence can also help to build up barriers that a simple hour together can pull down. I've dropped little breadcrumbs here and there, so it's just a matter of seeing whether or not anyone can follow them!), **katy** (Well, thank you! I hope you enjoy this one as well!), **Samantha** (Thanks a bunch! I hope this chapter helps to answer some of your questions about the two cases... and raises more. _Winks._), **Xeria Malstrum** (Naga seems to me to be the type who can twist a situation to her purposes, but not always to its final fruition. In Amelia's case, though, she did it perfectly. It gave her the tiniest bit of hope that Zel may be interested, and for Amelia, that's all that really matters. Zel's got a soft side to him, and Amelia has an interesting ability to draw it out of him without trying. And as for the guy with green eyes - I left a hint, but you'll still probably hate me. Now, it's time for those two chappies... _winks_), **Aisha C** (Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this long chapter as well!), **jesphoenix05** (Oh, in the world of J.Rhaye, things are _never_ easy - appearances can be devilishly deceiving. Not so much broody angst in this chapter. All is Calm...), **Lina Gabriev** (Hey, no worries! I hope the little hints I dropped in this chapter will help to lead you along the path that I'm laying out. And as for which villain they will be facing? That's a secret!), and a very special thank you to my **200th reviewer!!! Poetry In Motion** (Well thank you! I'm flattered that you really like my fic, and if I've changed your mind about A/Z, then I've done my job! It's not over, of course, so I hope you stick with me! Thank you again!)

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	27. The Storm

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 27**

_**The Storm**_

He opened his eyes and immediately raised his arm to shield his eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. Damn, it was bright out today. He took a step forward, and the arid cracked ground crunched beneath his feet.

Desert.

Waves of heat rose up from the baked earth and filled his nostrils with choking dust. His lungs began to burn, and he coughed, trying to pull the edge of his t-shirt up over his nose to help filter out the clouds of sand and dirt.

"I wish it would rain…" he muttered to himself as he took another step forward.

It was so hot, his body felt as if it were on fire, but he pushed himself along, knowing that when he got to wherever it was that he was going, things would be much cooler. Or so he hoped.

Time, it seemed, held no meaning here. Had he been walking for hours? Or was it minutes? He needed a drink so badly. He couldn't even spit if he wanted to.

And then, in the distance, he could see a Saloon shimmering through the waves of heat. The logical part of his mind wondered at the semantics of this particular vision while also trying to remember that mirages were a common part of a desert landscape.

In the Old West.

Somehow, though, this seemed normal to him, and he hurried towards the lone building.

As he approached, he realized with a start that it was a real, honest to goodness Saloon, complete with the swinging doors and wooden plank walkway. Music was tinkling from inside – a player piano, perhaps? – and bawdy sounds of typical saloon life wafted through the doors. Unsure of what to expect, he pushed aside the doors and entered the blissful coolness of the huge room.

The sight that met him both confused and comforted his tired mind.

"Hey, Zel!" Gourry yelled with a wave. He was wearing chaps, a leather duster, and a cowboy hat. It seemed normal yet strange at the same time. "Glad you could make it. Pull up a seat. Xelloss wouldn't let us start until you got here."

At which point Xelloss, looking for the life of him like a turn of the century gentleman with bowler hat and ruffled shirt, turned to him and opened his creepy violet eyes with a knowing look. Without a word, he kicked out a chair for him to sit.

Zangulus was leaning back in his seat, his poncho draped around him and his tall hat low on his brow. It appeared he was sleeping.

Zelgadiss approached the table warily. A question touched his mind (where did everyone go?) but it didn't seem important at all. He pulled up a chair and sat at the poker table. Suddenly, everything seemed right.

* * *

"Five to you, Xelloss," Gourry said, placing his chips in the pile. He stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth and washed it down with a swig of beer. His one-bedroom apartment was small and smelled of food, but it seemed to exude a homier feeling than Zel's own house. The large living room and kitchen seemed to make up for the lack of personal space. For once, the apartment was clean, apart from the mess the four men had just made with dinner. 

Xelloss loosened his tie, glanced at his cards again, and checked. Taking a gulp of his drink, he tapped the glass against the table before filling it up with more whiskey. It seemed that he had another bad day at work, and that would just spell trouble for the rest of them. Xelloss had a tendency to be ruthless at cards whenever his day didn't suit him.

Zelgadiss eyed Xelloss and Gourry. Damn, if they weren't the best bluffers around. He gazed down at his own few chips and figured he was good for another couple of hands. "Check."

Zangulus set his cards down and saw their bets as well. Setting one card aside, he dealt the next card and looked to Gourry. "Might as well go all-in, Gourry. You know you can't last that long against me," he said with a smirk. Stacks of chips were piled up before him, whereas Gourry's were sadly dwindling.

Gourry's blue eyes swept across the table and everyone's reactions, silently begging for the slightest tell. When his eyes rested on Zelgadiss, he did something very strange, even for Gourry.

"All-in."

"This is it, Gourry! I'm putting you out of the game!" Zangulus was saying rather excitedly, but Xelloss calmly counted the blond man's chips.

"If you forgot, Zangulus," he explained slowly, "it happens to be my turn. It's twenty-eight to me, and I'll call." Xelloss slid many of his own chips into the pot.

Zelgadiss glanced at his cards. Queen, Eight off-suit. He should just fold now, but he was working on a straight with a King, Five, Jack, Ten showing. What the hell? Leave it to fate…

"All-in."

Xelloss counted the chips and separated the pot accordingly, all while Zangulus was grinning and muttering to himself like a madman. What was it with Zangy's Gourry-complex?

The 'river' card put both Gourry and Zelgadiss out of the game, and caused Zangulus to eye Xelloss warily. Xelloss had pulled out a straight-flush to beat everyone. Now the two battled it out while Zel went out to get some fresh air on the balcony.

"Figured your head wasn't in it," Gourry said, leaning on the railing next to him.

Zelgadiss breathed in the night air. "Got a lot on my mind lately."

"Good or bad?"

"A little of both," he said with the barest of smiles.

"Anything you want to talk about?"

Zelgadiss suddenly truly appreciated him. Gourry had always been there for him, not only as a partner, but as a good friend. They had bonded in the Academy, and even moreso on the force, but it was only after that incident almost three years ago that Zelgadiss had learned the value of his friendship.

"How do you do it?" he asked, figuring on talking about the more superficial of his problems. "You really like Lina, don't you?"

"Yeah, she's something else, alright," he answered, turning his gaze skyward and smiling. "Like a whirlwind or a rainbow."

Zel smirked. Leave it to a guy in love to describe the girl as two equally untouchable forces of nature that are so completely different. "Have you told her?"

"That she's a rainbow? I don't know if she'd like being called that…"

"No, I mean about how you feel about her."

"Oh."

"I take it that's a 'no'?"

"It's hard to say it when she doesn't want to say it herself."

"How do you know that?"

"I've learned to read her after all these years, Zel. I know that she cares about me, and she knows that I care about her. That's good enough for me. As long as she's happy."

"You're so willing to wait for her, but what if she doesn't choose you? Or worse…" A haunted expression shadowed Zelgadiss' face, and he lowered his gaze to his clenched fists.

"Amelia's not like Lina, Zel," Gourry said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Or like _her_. You're not me, either. You've just got to ask yourself: what would your life be like without Amelia? What would it be like _with_ her?"

"I've never been very imaginative…"

Gourry snorted. "Now, _that's_ a load of crap. I've seen your artwork." He laughed and Zel chuckled with him. The guy could read him like a book. "You're not a coward, that's for sure. You'll figure things out sooner or later. Oh, by the way, Lina's got something planned for your birthday."

Zel raised a brow at that. Lina usually had ulterior motives when it came to being 'philanthropic.'

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"I've got no idea. She said that she and Amelia will plan it; all we have to do is show up."

"Show up? Where?"

"I guess we'll both find out next week. Happy birthday, by the way."

"Thanks." Feeling much better, Zelgadiss patted Gourry's shoulder and turned to step back into the apartment where, from the sound of things, Xelloss was winning, yet again. Happy birthday to me…

* * *

The grass was cool beneath his feet. Turning around, he briefly wondered where the apartment was, but knowing it didn't matter, he continued on his way. The breeze was wonderful: a kiss of cool air across his aching body. Quickly looking down, he was relieved to note that he was _not_ naked, though he didn't know why it would matter if he was. The sun was not so harsh in the cloud-streaked sky, and he reveled in its warmth. 

Vague recollections of this place tickled at his mind, but the place he was thinking about wasn't _quite_ like this: that snow-capped mountain shouldn't be as close as it was, the river shouldn't have been so wide, and there _definitely_ shouldn't have been a pyramid off in the distance, just beyond that stand of trees.

_Landing site for aliens… Okay, so I'm probably dreaming._

The rational side of his mind decided that _since_ he was dreaming, and since he _knew_ that he was dreaming, he might as well wake himself up. After all, he had this nagging feeling that there was something important that he needed to do, but he couldn't, for the life of him, remember what it was. For Zelgadiss, that was something bizarre indeed.

So he tried to wake himself up every way he remembered how: imagining himself in his own bed, forcing his mind to accept that he was awake, and even pinching himself. Nothing worked. Of course, pinching his arm hurt, so that couldn't have been a good sign. Then again, that kind of thing only worked in stories, so he shouldn't have given it any weight.

As he tried to work out this strange puzzle, he continued walking along the meandering stream, his legs brushing against the myriad flowers and sending up a cloud of fine seedlings behind him to mark his passage.

_You shouldn't brood so much. Take time to stop and smell the flowers!_

Yeah. That sounds like something she said…

Zelgadiss knelt and plucked a delicate red flower from its stem. Paper-thin crimson-colored petals fluttered in his hand. Red corn poppy – _Papaver rhoeas_ – his mind registered. Well, that trip with Lina and Gourry to the Saillune Arboretum and Gardens a couple of years ago actually paid off. The flower shouldn't really have been blooming in October, but, then again, this was a dream after all.

Yet, even knowing it was a dream, he continued on towards the strange pyramid (since there was nowhere else to go), unknowingly cupping the fragile bloom gently in his hand. Looking around, he was taking her advice and appreciating the wild beauty of an untamed field of flowers.

When he reached the pyramid, the enormous limestone blocks were a stark contrast to the verdant fields he had just crossed. For a moment, this struck him as odd, but then his legs were moving, spurring him into the pyramid's entrance.

A single flower lay forgotten in the trampled grass behind him.

* * *

"I can't believe she thought I would actually enjoy myself here," Zelgadiss grumbled as he followed Amelia into the ridiculous pyramid-shaped hotel. Lina and Gourry had gone on ahead to check in and would meet them back at the statue of the Sphinx. He had no idea where they were going that weekend; all he had been told was to pack for a warm weekend and to follow Lina's truck. If he had known that Atlas City was to be their destination, he would have gracefully declined. 

Well, maybe not _that_ gracefully.

"Come on, Mister Zelgadiss. It's the thought that counts, right?" Amelia asked him cheerfully, adjusting her duffel bag on her shoulder. "Miss Lina really wanted to make sure we all got out and relaxed, but _you_ especially."

"It's not that big a deal…"

"Birthdays _are_ a big deal! You know, I'm still mad at you for not telling me that your real birthday was last week." She firmly placed her hands at her hips and pouted, making a show at being angry, but her frown was half-hearted.

"Fine," he sighed, lowering himself to sit on the polished marble floor. His eyes were drawn to a pamphlet in Amelia's hand.

'_Thebes' Hotel and Casino, where you are an honored guest of the Pharaoh…_

Amelia's face suddenly appeared where the pamphlet was as she plopped down in front of him. "You shouldn't brood too much. Look around you! You should take time to smell the flowers."

"There aren't any flowers here."

She frowned. "That's not what I meant."

"I don't like Atlas City, Amelia." He paused, looking away to hide the anger in his eyes. "Too many bad memories."

She tilted her head to regard him, and he glanced up at her. Her face was impassive, merely curious, if anything. And then she smiled.

"Then let's make _better_ memories to offset the bad ones!" she declared happily, winking at him and giving him a thumbs-up. "I mean, the casinos and hotels are really neat, and there are cool shows and events. This will be _your_ weekend, Mister Zelgadiss. We can do anything you want."

"_Anything?_" he asked slyly, and was rewarded when a delicate blush crept across her cheeks. With a grin, he continued, "Then let's find Lina and Gourry, dump our bags in our rooms, and go out to eat."

She blinked a couple of times, and then smiled widely, trying to hide her embarrassment beneath a giggle. "Sure!"

"There you guys are!" Lina said, popping out from behind the statue. "Geez, we've been looking all over the place for you two."

"You said to wait by the Sphinx, Lina," Zel muttered, getting to his feet. He shouldered his bag and reached down to help Amelia up. "So we're next to it. How long did it take for _you_ to find the Sphinx?"

"Nevermind that," she said, passing a card to Amelia. "Here's your room key. Gourry's got yours, Zel. How about we put our stuff in the rooms and meet down here in a half hour?"

"Sure. What are we going to do when we meet up?" he asked, wondering what she had planned for him.

"Eat, of course!" Lina replied happily as she pushed the button for the elevator.

"Of course…"

Their rooms were adjacent to each other, so there was no chance of sneaking away unnoticed. Decorated in a contemporized version of ancient Egyptian architecture, the rooms were spacious, though the wall with the window was set at an angle due to the slope of the pyramid. Zelgadiss dumped his travel bag on the bed closest to the strange window and gazed outside. They were facing the castle-shaped hotel. Amelia would like that. She was very into fantasy and dragons and knights.

Make new memories, huh? The old ones were so… Ugh. He wanted to take Amelia's advice, but even just staring out at the city, he was reminded of the times when he used to walk along the streets, hand in hand with _her_, smiling and laughing. Before the bomb. Before the betrayal.

Before his madness.

"_I can't believe you did that, Miss Lina!_"

His reverie broken, Zelgadiss and Gourry looked at each other with curious expressions. What was that?

"_Well, it's not my fault you didn't bring your stuff!_"

It was easily apparent that the two girls were having a serious argument. The men stepped over to the connecting door and listened in.

"**_You_** _were the one who told me **not **to!_"

"_Well, if it was that important to you, Amelia, then what **I**_ _said shouldn't have stopped you. I know it sure as hell wouldn't have stopped **me**!_"

"_I'm not **you**! Why do you have to be so selfish, Lina?_"

"_Me? Selfish? Who's paying for this room? Who wasted her gas because someone's car is out of commission indefinitely? I think I'm being **more** than generous! See? I told you this would happen if you overloaded yourself. If you had just dropped a couple of classes like I suggested, you wouldn't be freaking out like you are now._"

It was silent for a moment, and Zelgadiss and Gourry glanced worriedly at each other. Was someone crying?

"_That's what this is about, isn't it? You wanted me to see how you were right all along about my classes. You **wanted** me to screw up so you could say 'I told you so.' That's so unjust!!!_"

Lina apparently growled in frustration and then spat, "_Stop being so pig-headed! Now you're just fishing for an excuse. If you don't like it, deal with it!_"

"_Fine!_"

Slam!

Zelgadiss moved first. He was out the door just in time to see Amelia speeding down the hallway towards the elevators. "Stay with Lina and keep her calm. I'll find her," he told his friend before chasing after her.

He caught up to Amelia just in time to stick his arm between the doors before they closed. They bounced open, and he shimmied inside. She was leaning back in the corner of the elevator, her arms crossed in front of her, scowling at her duffel bag on the floor. When he joined her, she glared up at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, catching his breath. The doors closed, and they began their descent.

"Miss Lina's wrong," she pouted. When she didn't elaborate further, he shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for her to continue in her own time. Sure enough, she turned to him to rant. "Next week is the last week of school before finals. I've got two papers due as well as three quizzes to study for. Miss Lina talked me into this trip because she said that she didn't want me to get burned out – she wanted me to _relax_ this weekend and not bring any of my work. And do you know what she did? She brought her _own_ homework to do. That's why we're here in this hotel! She's got some kind of paper that she's doing on modern uses of ancient languages! I've got so much to do, and now I can't do any of it because I'm here!"

"Is there a reason you're carrying your bag with you?" he asked, wondering if she was going to try to hitch a ride back to Saillune.

"I can't stay in the same room with that woman!" she nearly yelled. "If I can't figure out a way home, I'll just get my own room or something…"

The doors opened, and once Amelia shouldered her bag, they stepped out into the casino. Zelgadiss merely followed Amelia, letting her lead the way, but it was quickly apparent that she didn't know what to do with herself. Trying to fight the sense of disappointment at discovering that she didn't really want to be there, he led her to the arcade.

"I mean," she continued, oblivious to the blinking lights and constant noise of the video games, "she knew that I was swamped, but she still talked me into leaving all my stuff. 'It's not good for you to bury yourself like that,' she said. I got the weekend off because I told Mister Jack that I needed it to study, and here I am in Atlas City wandering around a casino with… oh…"

Amelia stopped in her tracks, and Zelgadiss ventured a glance back at her. She was staring wide-eyed at him, her hand covering her mouth. With each word she had spoken, he had begun to feel worse and worse about this trip. He hadn't wanted to be there either, and now the girl he counted on to cheer him up was actually regretting being there as well.

"I can bring you home if you want," he muttered, hoping the video games would drown out his comment. Apparently, it didn't work.

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss, I'm sorry!" she said, clutching his arm. "I didn't mean it that way. I'm glad I'm here with you for your birthday. I'm just mad at Miss Lina for not telling me the truth."

"Uh…"

"I guess I should take my own advice, huh?" she asked, an embarrassed smile appearing on her face. Her anger had suddenly vanished, and Zelgadiss worried that the stress of school was wearing on her nerves more than she believed. "Come on, let's have fun. Whatever you want to do."

She was lightly holding his arm, and her nearness was comforting. He could feel himself reddening, and he mentally kicked himself for being so weak when it came to Amelia. How could she have gotten under his skin so quickly? For once, though, he silenced his sarcastic and second-guessing nature and allowed himself the chance to get to know her better. And perhaps a chance for her to get to know him better?

"I heard that Nyara Nyara is pretty good. Want to try hot pot for lunch?"

"Oh, that sounds great!"

"But I don't think that it will be too comfortable for you to carry that thing around town with you," he said lightly, indicating her bag. "Look, let's go back upstairs and you can leave it in my room if you want. Then we can sort everything out after we eat. I think you and Lina both are suffering from a lack of food."

She frowned, not exactly liking what he was suggesting, but she nodded, seeing the sense in his words. "Okay, but if she starts in on me again…"

"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it, okay?" Zelgadiss took her bag from her, and they headed back to their rooms. Apparently, though, that bridge snuck up on them quicker than they expected.

"Why do you two have to be such stubborn idiots who won't listen to reason?" Lina yelled.

The group had met up on the casino floor after Amelia and Zelgadiss had deposited her bag in his room. They had been having a pleasant conversation along the way, and Zelgadiss had lightly broached the subject of a late lunch with Lina upon finding her and Gourry at a couple of slot machines. He figured that since they were celebrating _his _birthday, she wouldn't mind going someplace he suggested for a change. Apparently, he was wrong.

The two girls had begun arguing again immediately.

"You get your way too much! At least listen to our ideas for a change!"

Gourry piped in, "Come on, either way, in this case, it's all right, so why not do it Lina's way?"

Traitor. When he said to keep Lina calm, he didn't expect outright mutiny. Zelgadiss decided to be more forceful. "No, Gourry. We're going to be perfectly clear this time. I personally don't care to follow Lina's plans."

"Neither do I, normally, but I think her plan's the right one in this case."

Amelia stamped her foot. "No, that's not true! Miss Lina's just saying what _she_ wants!"

Lina growled again. "You guys are the ones screaming about what _they_ want. My decision's based on prior research!"

Zelgadiss began to understand Amelia's frustration. "And _I_ have done my _own_ research into this matter."

Amelia stood solidly beside him. "Yeah! This trip was supposed to be for Mister Zelgadiss, so we're going to eat…"

Lina interrupted her, "Nyo-Heron's Roast Beef!"

Amelia continued over her, "The Nyara-Nyara Hot Pot!"

"I'd go with Nyo-Heron's," Gourry muttered.

"No, Nyara-Nyara!" Zelgadiss insisted.

"Nyo-Heron's!"

"It has to be Nyara-Nyara!"

"I can see there's no hope for compromise here," Lina declared loftily with a toss of her hair.

"It looks that way."

"Let's go, Gourry! We're gonna have roast beef."

"Naturally!"

"And we shall dine on hot pot," Zelgadiss grumbled, trying to affect an air of indifference, feeling the loss of his friends' company was no great matter. "You may go elsewhere."

Lina shot over her shoulder, "Fine! Do whatever you want! While you're at it, why don't you get your own room, too!"

Amelia's eye twitched, but she rose to the challenge. "Sure thing! See you two later!"

"Pig-head!"

"Stubborn!"

Before anyone could stick her tongue out at the other or escalate the argument into something worse than what had already occurred, Zelgadiss and Gourry each steered their respective girl away from the slot machines and the approaching security guards.

"Come on, Amelia. Let's go eat. We'll figure out your lodgings later."

A fleeting look of distress crossed her face, but she still smiled at him and chatted amicably with him as they walked to the Hot Pot in the next Casino. They ordered the deluxe seafood hot pot and took their time eating their meal.

"So how's your car doing?" Zelgadiss asked, wondering about her 'baby.'

Her face blanched slightly. "Oh. It's in about a thousand pieces on the floor of K & M's shop."

Zelgadiss almost choked on a shrimp. "What??? I thought they were restoring it, not demolishing it."

She grimaced. "I know. I almost fainted when I saw what they did, but they said that they had to completely dismantle it to check every single piece. I guess they didn't want to do a good job and have it fall apart because of a few rusty bolts. They're very… thorough."

"I suppose so."

"So, what do you want to do today? I heard that Rudo's troupe is in town at the… Grand, I think." She reached into her purse and pulled out several brochures of different shows. "Or 'DragonLion' at the Canals, or maybe you'd like to see a comedy or a magic show?"

Truthfully, going to a show with Amelia sounded like a good idea, but he just couldn't bring himself to go to one in this town. As much as he'd like to see any of the things she was suggesting, his mind kept reminding him of exactly why he hated this place. His expression must have shown on his face, because Amelia placed her hand lightly on his; her brochures lay scattered, forgotten, across the table. He looked at their hands in surprise. His gaze drifted to her face, and she was regarding him with… not pity.

Sympathy.

"We don't have to do any of those things if you don't want to, Mister Zelgadiss. I… I understand that this isn't something you want to talk about either, but if…" She paused, pulling her hand away and placing it delicately next to her purse. "…If you ever want to talk about it… I… I'm a good listener, too. I know what it's like to have to go back somewhere filled with bad memories. It's as if you're being suffocated by the recollections that rise unbidden wherever you turn, and no matter how much you try to forget or cope with them, they always linger at the edges of your vision, threatening to overwhelm you again."

Her eyes became solemn as she spoke, and Zelgadiss had a feeling she wasn't just talking about her time in juvie. He wanted to know what made her so melancholy, wanted to hear it for himself from her lips, but knew that now was not the time for that. She was trying to comfort _him_, and he knew that their current status with this trip was hinging on his next words.

"I moved out here a few years ago when my…" he began hesitantly, "…my grandfather accepted the position here as Police Commissioner. He was the Chief of Police in Saillune for as long as I could remember, but when he moved here, he offered me a position in the Atlas City S.W.A.T. team right away. I had been waiting for the right opportunity to present itself for so long with S.P.D., but it was going to be long in coming. I figured that instead of waiting and training another year before I could join S.W.A.T. at home, I could just jump ahead of the line here and join right away."

He clenched his fist at the memory. Continuing, he said dully, "I moved here with my girlfriend at the time, and we got a place just off the Strip. I guess I wanted to impress her with the fact that I had joined up with such an elite group, so I convinced her to transfer here as well. Everything was great for a few months, but then…" His expression darkened, and he looked away. "After my… accident, things kinda… fell apart. Nothing worked out after that, so I left and returned home."

He shrugged and dipped his chopsticks into the boiling pot, more for something to do than to actually look for something to eat. His mind strayed, yet again, to the stupidity of youth: he had wanted to be so strong so quickly that he had missed the vital training that was necessary for such a dangerous job. His life had spiraled out of control after that, and it was only his fervent desire for the truth that had kept him on the track his best friends, Lina and Gourry, had laid out for him.

When he glanced up, he was shocked to see that Amelia appeared on the verge of tears. Oh, damn. She wasn't going to make another scene here, was she?

"Amelia," he said suddenly, an idea popping into his mind. "I know where we can go today."

The tears that were appearing at the corner of her eyes suddenly disappeared. "W…where?"

"Remember the guy that was handing out those flyers outside? That should be fun…" They paid their bill, and after returning outside to retrieve a flyer, they walked to his car. "It says the place is on the outskirts of town, but it should still be close enough to return in time for you to make up with Lina."

"Make… _Make up???_" she yelled, startling several passers-by. "Hmph! Knowing her, she'll probably still be eating roast beef and stealing Mister Gourry's food. Or she'll have traded the two-bed room for a single because she's so stingy…."

Zelgadiss merely sighed as Amelia continued her tirade. No use in getting her mad at him. He had never seen her angry with anyone for very long; she must really be stressed out to be so hard on her best friend like that. Maybe she _did_ need to take out her aggressions on some unsuspecting person…

"Paintball?" she asked as he deposited her gear into her outstretched hands. She looked down at the pile consisting of a set of coveralls, gloves, boots, a mask, and a brightly painted air pistol with a huge canister of paintballs attached to the top.

"Sure, why not?" Zelgadiss asked lightly. "You said, 'make new memories,' so here we are. I've never been here before, and supposedly, they're supposed to be the best – albeit the strangest – paintball arena around. I guess their magic school is supposed to be top notch, as well, but you don't really get to shoot the crap out of anything over there."

"Mister Zelgadiss!"

"Look. I know you're all proper and everything, but can't you let it go for a day? If _I_ can, then so can you."

He stood with his hand on his hip regarding her, and though she had initially looked disgusted at the thought, she squeezed her eyes shut and began muttering to herself.

"_Lemonade. Just make lemonade, Amelia…_"

Before he could ask her what she meant, a thin man with a pinched expression and bushy brown hair that stuck out at the sides approached them.

"Good! Good! Good! You're here! I didn't think anyone would help me!"

Zelgadiss and Amelia took a step back. "Help you?" he asked warily.

"Of course! Of course! Of course!!!!!! My name is Demia, co-owner of this place. You need to help me beat my partner."

Amelia peeked out from behind Zelgadiss. She had ducked behind him at his erratic behavior. "Your partner?" she asked, and almost immediately regretted it.

"Tarimu! Tarimu! _Tarimu!!!_ He's trying to steal this place for himself right out from under my nose! I just know it. I know it! _I know it!!!_"

Zelgadiss crossed his arms. He hated being used. "So why do you think _we_ can help you?"

"We have an underlying bet for the year. We each recruit our own teams individually, and each win is tallied. Whoever gets the most wins by the end of the year seizes control of the company."

"It sounds like you have a fair agreement," Zel commented, but was immediately cut off when Demia pointed a finger in his face.

"_You don't know him!!!_ He's recruiting all these thugs who scare off my customers and they win by default! You need to take care of this new batch of thugs he found…"

"This is ridiculous," he muttered later as he found himself positioned in one of the facades in this makeshift town. There were plenty of holes like this one where he could see much of the 'town's' square, but he had no idea where the opposing team's flag rested in this maze. He knew it was near the opposing team's home base as well, but where that was, he had no idea. He had to admit that this was a great set-up, complete with streets and alleys and just enough bunkers to offer a bit of necessary cover.

Amelia had been wary at first, but she still donned her outfit and marched in with him like a trooper. Her face was set as they listened to the strict instructions on paintball safety as well as the rules. They were to infiltrate enemy territory and steal their flag, returning it safely to their home bunker after obtaining it. Simple concept, but with just the two of them, they didn't know how effective they would be against these 'thugs' that they were going to fight.

Right now, he had Amelia in his sights as she set off across the street. He scanned the surroundings and ducked out after her, covering her as they went. He had briefly thought of telling her to remain behind to protect the flag, but she was staring at the gun as if it would leap out of her hands and bite her, so he urged her to accompany him. The sooner they stole the flag, the better.

Of course, sooner and better vanished when he heard a **_ratatat _**from his left and saw red paint splatter across the façade to his right. He immediately took cover, but when he saw that Amelia had frozen in her tracks, his blood grew cold.

Oh, damn. He forgot.

"Amelia!" he yelled, tackling her before a barrage of paintballs went streaming overhead. He went skidding across the floor; he had twisted at the last minute, taking the brunt of the fall, and keeping Amelia secured atop him. They crashed into a nearby 'building' and he could see two figures advancing on them.

"Amelia," he grunted, still trying to get his breath back. He raised his gun at them. "Help me tag them!"

She looked up at him, and then at their opponents. She rolled off of him and raised her pistol with shaking hands. Zelgadiss sat up, aimed as well as he could, and pulled the trigger. Small pellets of blue paint spat out of his gun and were soon joined by ones from Amelia's. He could see the side of her face through the plastic mask, and it appeared that she was grimacing with each shot. Suddenly, her eyes went wide, and he turned his attention to what she was regarding.

The two thugs had turned to take cover behind a nearby building, but Zelgadiss could clearly see one long blond braid and one long red braid.

"Miss Lina?" Amelia wondered.

"Gourry?" Zelgadiss asked at the same time.

They looked at each other, and a smirk appeared on Amelia's face. "Come on, Mister Zelgadiss. Let's teach them about the power of justice!"

Well, it wasn't exactly 'just' what they ended up doing to Lina and Gourry, and what Lina and Gourry ended up doing to them. By the end of their session, neither side had cared to retrieve the other's flag, and had only succeeded in shooting each other dozens of times. Zelgadiss figured it was a good way for Amelia to let out her stress on the person she was having the most difficulty with at the moment. Apparently, Lina had done the same, and the two girls were friends once again.

Gourry had taken it all in stride, but the amount of paint he got in his hair seemed to annoy him, and it was only Lina's words of understanding that seemed to soothe the man. Zelgadiss could hear them grumbling together about having to wash paint out of their hair for the next week. He and Amelia glanced at each other and shrugged; short hair definitely had its advantages.

Their 'recruiters,' however, were not impressed at all with their definite lack of enthusiasm to be a part of their respective 'cause.' Apparently, Tarimu had accused Demia of the same thing that Demia had accused Tarimu, and by the time the gang decided to sneak away, the two co-owners of the paintball/magic shop were yelling at the top of their lungs about the rotten ethics of the other.

After an amicable dinner with his friends at the Seafood Buffet, Zelgadiss didn't mind it so much when Lina dragged Gourry away to watch the volcano erupt a few casinos away.

"I guess it's just you and me, kid," he said, placing a hand atop Amelia's head. They were waiting for the water and light show to begin.

She frowned. "_Kid?_" she asked, dancing backwards out of his grasp. She hooked her hands behind her back and leaned forward, a gesture that Zelgadiss couldn't help but see as youthful. "Who're you calling a kid?" She was trying to hide her smile.

He smirked. "You know it's just an expression."

"Yup, but that doesn't mean you can say it to just _anyone_."

"I'm not saying to just _anyone_. I'm saying it to _you_."

"So you _are_ calling me a kid!" She pouted and turned away from him.

"Come on." With a patient sigh, he reached down and took her hand, leading her back to the railing so they could watch the show. "You're _definitely_ not a kid," he capitulated, glancing over at her face. "Happy now?"

She was blushing, her eyes darting from the water before them to their still-clasped hands. Zelgadiss made no move to release her, and she nodded with a tiny smile. He was enjoying the quiet peace that had settled upon them, and the feel of Amelia's hand in his. It was strange, though, the way his heart seemed to stop whenever she moved, or the way his mind wandered to their hands when he was thinking about the schematics of the fountains.

"When is the show supposed to start?" she asked, startling him from his thoughts of how good she smelled.

Blushing himself, he lifted his arm to check his watch, but he brought Amelia's hand with it. Laughing nervously, he maneuvered his arm so he could see the time and keep hold of her hand at the same time. "Five minutes," he reported, and rested their arms atop the railing.

His eyes inevitably traveled down to their linked hands. He was shocked to discover that a large purple welt had risen across the back of Amelia's thumb. "Did that happen in the warehouse?" he asked, rubbing it lightly with his own thumb.

She hissed a little at the touch, but did not remove her hand. "Yeah. I think I've got a few of those all over me," she said glumly. "I'm used to your hits, but those paintballs hurt."

Trying to shake the vision of the various _other_ places those welts could be on her body, Zelgadiss tried to focus on her reaction to the gun in the first place. "I take it guns aren't your favorite thing in the world?"

Her face clouded over, and she shook her head. "No, they aren't. I… I mean, I understand why police officers and the military have to use them, but I really don't like them."

"Can I ask why?" he asked, wondering if she would approach such a sensitive subject.

She was silent for several moments, and he began to wonder if he had missed a subtle shake or nod. When he opened his mouth, though, she began speaking. "My… my mother was killed with a gun… It's hard for me to pick one up without remembering what happened to her…"

He stopped her with a gentle and reassuring squeeze to her hand. "Well, you can tell me another time if you want, but no bad memories today, right?" he said, leaning in so close that his hair brushed against hers.

She nodded and smiled, but when she turned to face him, they found themselves nose to nose. It was a perfect moment. Amelia was so close that all Zelgadiss needed to do to was lean forward an inch. That wouldn't be so bad, would it? What could possibly be wrong with kissing such a beautiful, funny, charming, intelligent, and courageous young woman?

Time slowed, and he was falling into her, savoring her closeness and warmth. Her gorgeous blue eyes began to close as she tilted her lips up to meet him…

_**Whoosh!**_

The water/light show suddenly began with a dramatic blare of music and light, and Amelia and Zelgadiss broke apart with identical blushes gracing their cheeks. Neither one seemed to take offence to what happened, so their hands remained linked, their fingers intertwined in a comfortable gesture. Zelgadiss couldn't help the smile that seemed to be pasted stupidly to his face, and Amelia seemed to be suffering the same malady, though she was more apt to smile than he was. Zelgadiss decided: the show was not nearly as impressive as the fact that he had been within an inch of kissing Amelia.

When the show was over, they turned to return to their hotel, hand in hand…

* * *

He was alone. 

Rain began pelting him, drenching him immediately to his skin and chilling him to the bone. But that was not what caused his stomach to clench in terror or freeze him to the core.

Amelia was gone.

Panic filled him. Zelgadiss looked around wildly, but clouds completely covered the night sky, and the wind was so strong that it was whipping the rain nearly sideways. Strangely enough, he could still walk through it as if it were a gentle breeze. He trudged on, vainly calling out her name and squinting through the rain for any sight of her.

He walked along the street, but he had no idea where he was. Houses passed silently by on either side of him as he went, but he knew instinctively, that none of them was the one he was looking for.

He had lost Amelia.

His heart gave a terrible clench, and he thought he would die from the pain that coursed through his body. She wasn't that important to him already, was she? He had been hired to protect her, and he couldn't…

A sudden vision flashed in his mind in time with the lightning. It was Amelia, lying in a pool of blood with a discarded gun on the floor nearby.

"_No!!!_" he screamed into the wind, and he shoved the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to force the vision from his mind. "That won't happen!" he insisted, running down the street, hoping he'd somehow find her sooner. "I won't _let_ it!"

Zelgadiss kept running and running, ignoring the rain and the sleet that had begun to pelt him. _This is a dream. This is a dream,_ he kept telling himself. All at once, he found himself at Amelia's house, the storm pounding down around him, but he was suddenly dry as a bone.

He knew she was inside…

* * *

Amelia had complained about feeling under the weather the week before, and Zelgadiss worried that she had somehow gotten sick in Atlas City. This was her Finals week, and he didn't really want to disturb her when she was prepping for her tests, but she had been home for the last four days, and he couldn't help but want to make sure she was alright. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other since the Atlas City trip, and he was beginning to miss her as well. 

It was still early. He had passed Phil's and Beth's cars on the way up the hill; he was going to work, and she was bringing her son to school. Zelgadiss wondered if he should wait for Beth to return home so he wouldn't have to make Amelia drag herself downstairs if she was still in bed, but something told him to just go up and check for himself.

He stepped up to the front door and was about to ring the doorbell when his eyes noticed something very wrong. The door hadn't been pulled completely closed. From his prior surveillance of the house, he knew for a fact that all members of the family pulled the door closed behind them and locked it with a key before departing. _This_ was highly suspect.

Zelgadiss pushed lightly on the door, and it swung open. Stepping in quietly and gently closing the door behind him, he carefully eased his handgun from its holster behind his back and undid the safety. A noise upstairs caught his attention, and he swung his gun towards the staircase. As silently as he could, he moved up the stairs, trying to discern if the noise had come from the direction of Phil's room or Amelia's.

At the top of the steps, he paused, waiting for the slightest sound as his eyes scanned the hallway for any clues. Something clattered to his right, and he aimed towards her room. Amelia's closed door and the absence of music suddenly clicked in his mind.

Amelia hated being alone, and if she was, she always had music on to distract her. Something was _not_ right here. He glided over to the door and listened closely. He tried to ignore the fact that his blood was beginning to boil at the thought of someone _else_ in Amelia's room. For the briefest moment, he wondered if… could she possibly…

Could she and Val be…?

He shook his head. That was impossible. Zelgadiss had caught her more than once looking at him with… something… on their way home from Atlas City. No. She wouldn't be doing anything with anyone else, unless…

Zelgadiss' eye twitched, and his hand was on the doorknob, all sense of calm forgotten. He thrust the door open and pointed his gun at the first thing that caught his vision.

"Hold it! Hands in the air!" he yelled, trying to quickly process the scene before him. A man with long dark green hair and a thick beard was hunched over Amelia's desk rooting through her open jewelry box. He was dressed in coveralls, and with a shock, Zelgadiss realized that it was the gardener that Phil had hired after Jordan's accident.

Amelia, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" Zel demanded, a sudden rage filling him.

"Not here," the man answered in a gravely voice. He held his hands palms up in front of him.

"What did you do to her? I know she's here!"

The gardener chuckled. "You seem to know a lot for someone who knows so little."

"Shut up! Hands above your head," he instructed. The man did as he was told, but Zel remembered that he had left his handcuffs in the car. He glanced around the room to see if there was anything around that he could secure him with… a belt or something…

It happened too fast for him to react.

All Zelgadiss saw was the gun in the man's hand before the bullet slammed into his chest. Zel flew back into Amelia's nightstand, knocking over her lamp and sending the framed pictures of her family and friends crashing to the floor. Another bullet hit him in the stomach, and he sank to the floor, pain ripping though his body. His gun slipped from his fingers onto a growing stain of blood on Amelia's carpet.

The man stepped quickly past him and out of the room without a backwards glance.

_I'm not going to die like this,_ he thought, even as he could see the blood spurting out from between his fingers as he tried weakly to stop the bleeding in his stomach. His weakening fingers felt around until they closed on the familiar handle of his Glock. With inhuman strength, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, and then up the wall to stand before staggering down the hallway and the stairs.

Vaguely, he wondered how a human being could contain as much blood as he had just leaked all over the Seyruun's house. The pain was so intense, he wondered if he was actually delirious. He coughed, and his breathing sounded wet. Must have hit a lung… His vision was beginning to blur, but he concentrated on the open front door. He could see the man, right there on the front steps…

Bang!

The gardener spun around and fell. Damn. It hit him in the shoulder. As he was getting up, Zelgadiss found himself at the front door, pointing his gun down at his assailant.

"Who sent you?" he slurred, and he could feel the blood trickle down his lips. Darkness was beginning to creep in at the edges of his vision. He stepped down to the front lawn and regarded the gardener. "No… I know you now… Dilgear…!"

Ten more bullets were fired.

Two ended up in the front lawn of Amelia's house.

The gardener was hit three more times

But Zelgadiss took the remaining five bullets to both of his legs, his shoulder, another to his abdomen, and one that grazed his temple.

Maybe it was an out-of-body experience. Maybe it was his mind connecting disjointed memories. Whatever it was, he knew that Dilgear had gotten away.

He also knew that he was dying.

As he lay, bleeding on the front lawn of Amelia Seyruun's house, his only hope was that Dilgear would be discovered and that Amelia would be safe. That was easy enough, right? He could ask for nothing more… except, perhaps, to see Amelia again.

Her face suddenly appeared above him, and she was yelling his name. His name, without 'Mister' for once. Though his ears were ringing too loudly for him to hear her properly, he was sure that was the nicest thing he had heard in a long time. His chest didn't seem to want to work, and finally, the burning pain in his body was beginning to disappear. He closed his eyes.

"_Don't leave me, please, Zelgadiss…_"

Pain blossomed again in his chest as it suddenly expanded with a breath, but it was too late. He couldn't stay with her.

"_I'm sorry, Amelia…_"

* * *

Zelgadiss opened his eyes. 

The first thing he noticed was that he was actually alive. Amazing, to say the least, but if being alive meant that he would have to feel pain, then he was grateful for the intense ache permeating his body. Now, if only he could remember why…

The second thing he noticed, when his body remembered where his arms and legs were, was that someone was holding his hand. He tried to raise his head to see who it was, but pain lanced through his temple, and he hissed.

"Mister Zelgadiss?"

The sweetest sound…

Amelia was standing next to him, holding his hand, stroking it with such tenderness that it almost undid him. How could she care for him this much?

"It's all over," she whispered to him, smoothing his hair back from his face. And she never flinched from his scars… "They found him on the outskirts of town with all my missing jewelry. He must have lost a lot of blood and crashed into a ravine. He's dead. It's over, Zelgadiss…"

She kissed him gently on the forehead, and he slipped into blissful unconsciousness again.

Zelgadiss' recovery was slow-going, especially because he was usually heavily medicated, but each time he swam through the haze of medication to surface and open his eyes, Amelia was with him. If she was not beside his bed, holding his hand, she was curled up in a chair with a book and notes spread out before her. Was she studying for finals? No… That already passed. She must be in a new quarter at school…

Knowing that she was by his side gave him the encouragement he needed to get well. He still didn't know all the details about his injuries, but the sooner he recovered the better. After what seemed like a couple of days since he had first regained consciousness, he was finally able to have a decent conversation with Amelia.

She didn't seem to want to talk about the events that led him here, so he merely enjoyed the fact that she was with him. Sometimes, she would babble on about her new classes (she had taken everyone's advice and cut back on her workload) or the fact that her grades for the first quarter had come in (despite her difficulties late in the quarter, she had still managed to pull off all A's - and a B in Economics) or the people who've come to visit him.

He remembered Lina and Gourry, of course. They had visited him nearly as much as Amelia had. True friends. A few of his acquaintances from the force had stopped by to see how he was doing. His captain had even dropped a hint at something good waiting for him at work. Zel couldn't even fathom what he was talking about, but grinned all the same. Xelloss stopped by with Filia and lightly punched him in his good shoulder before Filia swatted him away for being annoying. Zelgadiss chuckled anyway.

When Philionel and Naga had visited, they had actually woken him with their quiet bickering. Amelia was nowhere to be seen.

"We told _Jordan_ the truth that that Dilgear scum was the one who hit him. That boy could have been killed, and Tes would never have known why."

"Jordan had a right to understand why he was targeted as well."

"Tes does too. We need to tell her, Daddy. It's over."

"Let's just get through this, and then we'll discuss what we'll do."

"There's only one thing _to_ do. Tell her the truth. That's the only reason Zel's in this bed. She has a right to know why."

Zelgadiss stopped them. "No," he croaked out, startling them.

Naga placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. "Zel, everyone knows but her. _You_ understand how she is. She would want to know the truth."

He shook his head. "No," he insisted. "If she finds out that she was the reason Jordan was hurt and the reason I'm here, she'll never forgive herself. I _won't_ have that happen."

They had looked askance at each other, but nodded in agreement. Their visit had been uplifting all the same, as he discovered that the threats had stopped with Dilgear's death. It was over. A grim satisfaction settled over Zelgadiss at the knowledge that he had managed to do his job and protect Amelia. Before they had a chance to fill him in on any more details, though, Amelia had arrived and scolded her family for waking him up. Although he was glad to have her back, his mind still thirsted for more information.

One evening, he had awoken to discover a new face standing at his bedside. The pretty young woman smiled when he opened his eyes, but he instinctively looked around the room for Amelia.

"She's fallen asleep," she said, pointing to the chair in the corner. Amelia was curled up with her head at an awkward angle on the armrest. "She didn't listen when I told her to go home, but then again, I wouldn't expect her to, either," she said with a smile, hooking a lock of long black hair behind her ear.

"It's good to see you, Sylphiel," Zelgadiss whispered. "How've you been?"

She laughed but wiped at her tear-filled eyes. "You're asking me that when you've just scraped past death? How are _you_ doing now?"

"I feel like I've been shot."

This time when she laughed, her smile reached her eyes, and the tears that had been forming had vanished. She pulled up a chair and sat beside him. "Yes, you have been, seven times: once in each thigh, once grazing your temple, once in your shoulder, once in you chest, and twice in your gut. You've had several transfusions to replace all the blood you've lost. It's a miracle you're still alive."

"What… Why…" He wasn't sure which question to ask first. He remembered on his own the events leading up to his confrontation with Dilgear, but everything after that was blank. "Do you know what happened? No one's really said anything."

Thankfully, Sylphiel explained it all to him. "Amelia said that she had been on her way to school when she realized that she had forgotten something at home, so she turned around and went back. She found you on her front lawn, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. You're lucky she's trained in First Aid and CPR, Mister Zelgadiss. She yelled until she got a neighbor to call 911 and then tended to your wounds. By the time we arrived there, Amelia was performing CPR. She said that your heart had stopped, but she had just gotten it beating again. My partner and I took over from there and were able to get you stabilized until we got you to the ER. You flat-lined again during operation, but it looks like you've pulled through pretty well."

He looked over at Amelia. Why hadn't she told him any of this?

"She didn't want you to worry about anything but getting better, Mister Zelgadiss," Sylphiel said quietly, her gaze drifting to Amelia. "I'm not sure if it's my place to say it, but she refused to leave your side until you reached the operating room. Even then, she remained here until her father brought her home. She missed her last two finals, but her instructor for First Aid passed her when he learned that she had saved your life. She took a make-up test for Economics, but said that it wasn't as important as you are. Amelia cares for you a great deal, you know."

"I know…"

Sylphiel squeezed his hand. "I'm glad to see you're better. Get some rest. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving."

Zelgadiss blinked as Sylphiel waved and left. Had three weeks already passed? Turning his head, he watched Amelia sleeping. She had saved his life. But even so, he would have still fallen…

"Oh, you're awake," Amelia said happily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She uncurled from her spot and stretched her arms high above her head. "I can't believe I fell asleep like that. Did you get to see Sylphiel?"

He smiled. "Yeah, she just left. Why don't you go on home and sleep? I can't imagine that chair's very comfortable."

"I think I'll sit with you a little longer," she decided, checking to make sure her hair wasn't sticking up in odd places. "But I'm going to grab some dinner in the cafeteria first. Will you be okay if I left for a bit?"

"Take your time. I wouldn't want you to choke on your food, the way _you_ eat," he joked.

Beaming, she nodded and left him alone. Zelgadiss closed his eyes and tried to relax. His body was still recovering, he told himself. He could stand the pain; he just couldn't stand the medicated oblivion he often found himself in. Trying to sort out the strange dreams and memories he had found himself in, Zelgadiss realized that his brain had been slowly trying to make sense of all that had happened recently. But everything his mind had been dwelling on was his developing relationship with Amelia.

She had become important to him, not as an object to be protected, but as a person who genuinely liked him for who he was, and one he genuinely liked as well. His previous worries about the conflict of interest long forgotten, he was slowly beginning to accept the fact that he wanted _more_ than just friendship. Maybe now that this whole fiasco was over, they could really begin to work on their 'more than friend'-ship.

A smile appeared on his face when he heard someone pull up a chair and immediately take his hand.

"I didn't think you'd listen when I told you to take your time, but since you're here, I don't mind," he said, gently stroking the soft hand with his thumb.

"I'm glad you're okay, Zel," she said, and his smile instantly disappeared.

His eyes shot open, and he pulled his hand away as if scalded. There, sitting next to him, with eyes full of pity, was Eris.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. Without waiting for an answer, he pointed to the door. "_Get out!!!_"

"Zel, stop, please," she tried, but he began pushing himself up in his bed so he could reach the Nurse-call button.

"I told you that I never wanted to see your face again!"

"We just wanted to make sure you were alright. When we heard…"

Zelgadiss stopped. "What do you mean 'we'? Are you telling me you brought _him_ here???"

"He was worried about you!"

He was about to tell her to leave again when a figure shadowed the doorway. Zelgadiss looked past Eris and his hate boiled over. His grandfather, Rezo, was there.

"Get out! _Get out!!! _I told you _both_ that I never wanted to see you again!" Zelgadiss began to panic; red filled his vision, and all he cared about was getting away from them and back to his one source of calm: Amelia. He didn't care what happened to him. He needed Amelia. He began to pull out his IV and his monitors as he fought to get up.

"Zel, please stop!" Eris reached over and tried to hold him still, but he knocked her away.

Pain exploded in his stomach, and he began to feel light-headed. "Don't call me that! You have no right! Get out! Where's Amelia? Amelia!!!"

Nurses flooded into his room, ushering the guests outside and restraining Zelgadiss back to the confines of his bed. They strapped him down and before he could object, they gave him a sedative that knocked him out before the needle was empty.

"Amelia…" he whispered weakly as darkness enveloped him once again.

* * *

He was falling, tumbling through the void once again, twisting and turning in a vain attempt to right himself. Every time he imagined himself with the tinniest degree of control, his world would spin wildly, sending him spiraling away yet again. If only he could find something solid in this intangible darkness, he would be able to get his bearings and halt his dizzying descent. 

"_You know how I feel about you, right?_"

His eyes searched the void. Amelia?

"_I love you, Mister Zelgadiss._"

A tiny spark of light appeared in the distance, and before he knew it, he was shooting towards it, in an uncontrollable fall. A wall of water rushed up to meet him, and then he was suddenly floating in the deep darkness of an ocean, rising and falling with the waves. Rain dropped down on his face from the cloud-filled sky, unrelenting in its assault. His water-filled ears could still hear the wind howling above.

The light resolved itself into a form, and Amelia appeared above him, floating in the air gently, as if unconcerned about the storm raging around them. She rested her chin on her hand and gazed down at him.

"You know that I love you, right? You can tell, though you've never heard me say it." She pillowed her head on her arms and lowered down until she was mere inches away from him. Her closeness was comforting, and Zelgadiss ached to reach out and embrace her, but the water was heavy on his limbs. He could not move.

"Amelia…" he tried to say, but water filled his mouth before he could utter a word.

Her eyes filled with sadness as she sank down to lie in the water beside him. "How do you feel about me? Do _you_ love me?"

Again, he tried to answer her, but he sputtered as the rain increased to drown him out. Amelia rolled onto her back and floated beside him, her hands clasped beneath her breasts. He turned his head to regard her, and noticed that she was beginning to sink, though she seemed to be completely unaware.

He pushed himself up and stood. She needed rescuing, and he had to fly through the storm to find someone.

"Rei Wing!" he yelled, and he shot into the air, gliding through the storm in search of anyone who would be able to save her. Noticing someone who could possibly help, he lowered himself to the ground when he saw her.

"Lina!" he yelled, hoping his voice would carry through the howling wind. She was standing at the steps of a white building with Gourry, and when she glanced back over her shoulder, she appeared mildly annoyed at being interrupted.

"Hey, Zel! What's up? We're just about to get a room. Did you need one too?"

A room? What the hell was she thinking? "No! Amelia needs help!"

She rolled her eyes. "She's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"But there's a _monster_…"

Lina held up a hand to stop him. "I don't want to hear it. You know that we don't know about any 'monster.' It's just a figment of your imagination."

"It's not! She'll get hurt!"

"Then she'll get hurt. We _all_ get hurt at one time or another."

She began to walk away, but he snatched at Lina's arm, gripping it tightly. He hardly cared that her eye got that murderous glint, and even less that Gourry was cracking his knuckles not more than two feet away. He finally said, "I can't allow that, Lina."

She stared right into his eyes, her ruby glare boring into his soul.

"Do you love her?"

Zelgadiss released his grip. "I… I…"

_I… can't._

"What are you afraid of, Zelgadiss? Loving her, or losing her? Losing her, or losing _yourself_? Do you love her?" she repeated.

Lina's voice faded, and Zelgadiss found himself alone. He ignored the storm rising in force around him. Debris crashed into him, knocking him to the ground and battering his body. Sleet froze and numbed his wounds, yet he remained where he was. Nothing mattered anymore.

It was all over.

How could he have thought that he could have a relationship with Amelia? How could he _dare_ to love her? How could he have forgotten that the worst memory that he had was not of the accident, or of the betrayal, but the awakening of a demon so heinous, that he could never subject another to its wrath.

The monster threatening Amelia was real.

The monster was _him_.

He looked at his surroundings. He stood before the hospital in Atlas City, the site of his hospital stay after his accident and after his madness…

* * *

Gourry and Lina had managed to visit him as much as they could, but after months of recovering from the burns on his body, the only person he truly cared to see was his girlfriend, Eris. They had dated in high school, and had even joined the Academy together. When he decided to move to Atlas City with his grandfather, she had come along with him. 

She was busy, he knew. She was his grandfather's executive assistant, and after the accident, they both had a lot to deal with – families of the officers killed wanting answers, reporters wanting the latest scoop, and even internal affairs questioning their tactics. Zelgadiss didn't wonder about any of that. His concern was the fact that his body was disfigured now.

Eris tried to tell him that he was fine, and that she still thought he was handsome, but as the months passed and she began to spend less and less time visiting with him, Zelgadiss couldn't help but wonder if she was disgusted by him now. Why shouldn't she? He looked terrible, he thought, each time he looked in the mirror.

Rehabilitation was grueling, and only Lina and Gourry's constant visits kept him going. He pushed himself to become stronger, so he could prove to Eris that he was still the man he was before, and that though his face was scarred, he was back to his old self. The thought brought a smile to his face, and he kept on working out. Before long, it was time for him to return home.

He should have expected it, but it still came as a shock to discover that Eris had left him. The apartment was empty except for his things. She hadn't even bothered to tell him. Gourry talked at him for hours, afraid to leave him alone, but when evening fell, his friend had run out of things to say and Zelgadiss made him go home. With a worried backwards glance, he excused himself and left.

Zelgadiss was alone.

Left alone with his thoughts and his injured emotions, Zelgadiss began to stew and boil over. How? How could this have happened? He was happy! _She_ was happy! It wasn't supposed to be like this. They loved each other, right? She took his heart, but threw it back at him when he was the lowest he had ever been. No explanation. No goodbye. No 'Dear Zel.' Nothing!

Loneliness he hadn't felt since his parents died threatened to consume him. Reaching into his duffel bag, he withdrew his handgun and sat for hours, contemplating. What was there to live for? What was there to fight for anymore? The one good thing in his life was gone, and he didn't have a clue why.

What had comforted him when he was left alone before? How did he cope? He had been twelve, and subject to most pre-teen angst, even without losing his parents. It had been his grandfather who had taken him in and introduced him to many of the cool cops at the Saillune P.D. Even if his father hadn't been a police detective himself, Zelgadiss had decided to become a police officer because of that experience alone.

So it was Rezo, in a roundabout way, who had pulled him out of his rut and had given him a purpose. The man wasn't overly affectionate towards him, but Zelgadiss never wanted for anything, and was always encouraged to do whatever he wished to do.

Rezo would know what he could do…

But his grandfather hadn't visited him at all for several weeks – about as long as Eris…

Zelgadiss was out of the door and walking along the Atlas City streets towards Rezo's house before he knew it. Fury clouded his vision, and he ignored all the people he bumped into as he passed them by. He didn't care anymore. Nothing else mattered.

It was well after midnight by the time he had reached the house. His worst suspicions were confirmed when he saw a familiar red car parked in the driveway, and without hesitation, he placed his key in the lock and turned the handle. They hadn't even bothered to change the locks.

If there was any doubt in his mind before about the validity of his suspicions, they were immediately squashed when he saw Eris curled up comfortably in Rezo's arms as they listened to music in the romantic, candlelit living room. Blood pounded in Zelgadiss' ears, drowning out the music. The quickening rhythm of his heartbeat pulsed in time with his clenched jaw.

Zelgadiss raised his gun.

"Bitch."

They both stood and turned around to face him. Eris appeared shocked and embarrassed, while Rezo seemed sad.

"Zel," she began, taking a step away from Rezo towards the coffee table. "I can explain…"

"Shut up! I don't need an explanation! And never call me that again!"

Rezo spoke. "Zelgadiss…"

He cut him off. "I _trusted_ you! How could you…?"

"Zelgadiss, put down the gun, and we can talk," Eris begged, but he pointed the gun at her.

He laughed, and he knew something inside him had snapped. "Talk? We _are_ talking! What do _you_ think we should we talk about? The weather? Sports? Oh, _I_ know! How about why you left me to _screw my grandfather?!_"

"It… it wasn't like that…"

"Oh, did you screw him first and_ then_ leave me?"

"No! It's complicated."

"No shit, Eris! Sneaking around and having affairs with your significant other's family members can get that way sometimes," he sneered. His finger tapped against the trigger.

"Please believe me. I wasn't looking for this. It just… happened."

"Why should I believe anything you say? You both _betrayed_ me!"

"Zelgadiss," Rezo said sternly, and he swung the gun to point at him. "Don't blame Eris. It was all my doing."

"No!" she yelled. "Don't do this, dear…"

"'Dear'? You're calling him _'dear'_???" Zelgadiss shook with rage. He was no longer laughing.

"Don't blame her…"

He pulled back the hammer. _They'll **both** die…_

"I don't. _I blame you both!!!_"

"_No!_"

**Bang! **

"_Zelgadiss!_"

**Bang!

* * *

**

He opened his eyes.

Eris and Rezo were nowhere to be seen, but _Amelia_ lay in a pool of her own blood, and Zelgadiss was holding the gun. Her eyes were open and unseeing; the gaping bullet wounds were steadily oozing blood. He collapsed to his knees and retched violently, sobbing, despite the fact that he knew that this was another dream.

He knew what truly occurred that night. Ready to shoot Rezo, his finger had moved on the trigger, but he hadn't seen Eris pull out her own handgun. She had shot Zelgadiss twice in self-defense. She and Rezo never pressed charges against him: they explained that they thought he was an intruder. They had even gone so far as to remove his gun and holster from the scene. Although they had betrayed him so horribly, they had still protected him.

No one knew the truth but them.

Gourry and Lina arrived after he recovered to bring him home to Saillune, and after reining in and trying to bury the demon within, he decided to put that whole part of his life behind him.

Unfortunately, he could not.

Rezo and Eris had awoken in him a monster he could not control, no matter how much he wished otherwise. It was in him, this ability to readily shoot someone who had, mere hours before, been the most important person in his life. This monster could never be unleashed again.

_I have to be a cold, heartless person. _

No matter how much he died inside.

* * *

He swam to the surface of consciousness, and began to stir. Whatever sedative they had given him was all-encompassing. He still couldn't feel his feet, but he could feel someone holding his hand. Remembering his last visitors, he wrenched his hand away, and began trying to sit up. 

"Mister Zelgadiss, stop, please! You'll pull your stitches again!"

Amelia's arm was around him, and she was trying to push him back down as gently as she could. When he realized that it was really her, he relaxed into the pillows. Looking at her, he realized that the crease between her brows was deep; she was very worried about him.

"The nurses said that they had to sedate you because you pulled out your IV's and re-opened the wound in your stomach. I convinced them to un-strap you, but _please_ don't give them a reason to do it again. Oh, I'm so sorry that you got mixed up in all of this. I should have noticed earlier that my jewelry was missing, but I didn't think much of it. If I had, then Daddy could have alerted the police earlier…"

He nodded, but his heart clenched strangely at her gentle touch on his forehead. He was going to miss her…

"Amelia," he began, his mouth suddenly dry. His eyes strayed to the ceiling. "Your father _did_ alert the police earlier."

"What?"

"Your father and sister had been receiving letters threatening the family. While they employed their own forms of protection, _I_ was hired to protect _you_. I did my job, that's all." He refused to look at her.

"J… job?"

"Yeah. That's why I've been spending so much time with you lately. I didn't know when or where they'd strike, so I tried to make sure you weren't alone." He kept his voice impassive.

"But…" She withdrew her hand from his arm. He knew that she was trying to find something good about it. When she spoke, he could almost hear her forced smile. "That's okay, right? We were still able to get to know…"

"I only needed as much information as I could get so I could work out a motive and a profile on the guy. I had already met with your sister and father. You were the only one left."

_Liar._

"Then… the car show, and my birthday…?"

"Yes. It was all set up so I could learn more about you and the people you come into contact with."

_Liar._

"But Atlas City… You… I mean we…"

He cut her off. "Atlas City was Lina's doing, not mine. I really didn't want to be there."

"Sure, but we still had a good time, right?"

Stone crept around his heart as he uttered the worst lie yet. "Amelia, _nothing_ worthwhile happened in Atlas City."

Her hand fell away from his brow. He continued to stare up at the ceiling, refusing to glance in her direction, yet he could hear her gathering her belongings. She was sniffling, and Zelgadiss knew he deserved to be squashed like a roach.

She moved to the door, but paused before leaving.

"I'm… I'm sorry your job protecting me got you hurt, Zelgadiss. Goodbye."

Unable to stand it any longer, his gaze dropped down, and he glimpsed her form retreating down the hall. "I'm so sorry, Amelia," he whispered. "Forgive me."

He was sure the empty spot where Amelia once resided in his heart would never beat again.

* * *

A/N: Angsty, angsty, angsty Zelgadiss. Going to give Val a run for his money in the Angst King category, huh? So now that the cat's out of the bag, how will Amelia deal with the 'truth' as Zel related it? And how will Zel react to his rather rash decision? Hmmm…. And is the danger _really_ over? Those of you who know me know that I _never_ do anything the easy way, which is good for you, because that means a lot more story to come! We're getting deeper into the main plot – yes, there is one! – so there will be many more questions and answers. 

Thank you to everyone who's read, and even bigger thanks to you wonderful people who've reviewed! Reading all your kind words help me struggle through the lemons in life (the bad headachey ones, not the fun ones…) so I can write. I shall hang in there and battle my demons (damn migraines and colds…)! Happy New Year and Hugs to you all!!!

**Samantha** (More and more questions! We're getting deeper into the plot, so the answers I've provided will only open up more questions. I hope you don't mind! _Winks_), **Ichiban Victory** (Oh, no! I understand missing sleep – heck, even I do that all the time – but at least eat something! You have to take care of yourself! I'm trying: I haven't had coffee or chocolate in three months… _sniff…_ I miss my coffee and chocolate!!! As for our characters, Zel's got a difficult past to come to terms with, and he's afraid of hurting someone he's truly come to care for. We'll see if Amelia can deal with his jerky behavior), **Kaeru Shisho** (Ah, I love the Xelloss/Zelgadiss friendship as well. Neither of them would admit that they're closer friends than mere acquaintances, yet both are more than ready to challenge the other on his stupidity. Gourry is good at boosting Zel's morale and providing much-needed positive reinforcement while Xelloss forces him to face things he would rather not. And Jordan is an unfortunate victim of the scheming and plotting after all. He, however, was the _only_ one who noticed anything wrong with the gardener's work, but no one listened. Zel coming clean with Amelia wasn't exactly coming clean – more like distorting the truth to push her away. They're still a long way from obtaining the kind of trust that they both need. We'll see if they can work things out… _Hugs!_), **Shinsei Kage **(Hey, new reviewer! Gosh, I'm blushing! I'm really glad that you're enjoying it! Poor Amelia. She was trying so hard to convince herself that Zel didn't see her _that_ way, yet just when she was beginning to believe it may be true, he had to shove her away. Push and pull… I'm happy that you're enjoying this Z/A fic, and I hope to hear from you again!), **Cookie** (Oh, articulate shmarticulate… You should see what this thing looks like on first draft. _Sweatdrops._ Long reviews are nice, but I just love hearing from you guys! As long as you continue to enjoy my characterizations and the story, then I'm happy! Thank you soooooo much for staying with me from the beginning! _Hugs_), **Lina Gabriev** (I like that description: "Zel goes deeper in a hole of lies then he can get out of…" How right you are! Even his truth gets mixed up in lies, but he doesn't want to climb out. Will Amelia bury him, or offer him a helping hand? As for Amelia moving in with Lina, it's not going to happen soon. I've got some… interesting things coming up, but there are other roommates for our red-headed gal! Harry Potter was an indirect reference – "Order of the Phoenix" was the book Amelia was staring at in the bookstore and the one that she left at Zelgadiss' house. And, yes, it's still at his house… _winks_), **jesphoenix05** (And the storm hits. I had a few other ideas for the 'dream sequence' storm scenes, but after the disaster in Southeast Asia, I decided against the more graphic destruction. Chuck can take a hike; it was too real. So a bit of light-hearted flirting and an almost-kiss, followed up by a past-angst-smackdown for Zelgadiss… I figured that's enough destruction for our characters, huh? So does Zel make your Broody-boy list? There's more under the surface, but we'll get to that later! _Hugs!_), **Xeria Malstrum** (Oh, now you know who the black-gloved guy was, but just because he's toast doesn't mean it's all really over. The 'whys' haven't been answered yet! And the green-eyed person will be making a re-appearance. Just a hint, because I don't want you to worry too much over it: he's an OC that's kinda important to character development, and we've seen him before, though I don't remember if I mentioned that his eyes were green then… I'm glad you liked seeing Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki. Both girls have a hyper-positive kind of attitude that I love seeing, and add two more guys to the list of angsty guys who like upbeat girls. I guess it's a yin-yang thing… Thank you for being soooo patient with me! _Hugs!_), **Aisha C** (Thank you so much for letting me know that my character development is okay. I'm always worrying about the pacing of my story, so it's good to know that it's working. The plot has been fairly slow to reveal itself, but now that it's had a direct impact on one of our main characters, and now that Amelia knows the 'truth' about Zel's involvement with her, we're going to delve deeper into the things that make up the baddies' plot as well as Zel's and Amelia's past. Thank you so much for sticking with me for so long! _Hugs!_), **Hoshi-chan1** (Hey, new reviewer! Sorry this one took so long, but I'm glad that you're enjoying it! Hope you liked this one as well!), **katy** (Ah, I loved that part, too. Zelgadiss has his playful side beneath all the snide comments and angst, so I'm glad that I was able to bring it out. What do they say about boys teasing and throwing stuff at the girls they like? It's just too bad he can't let go of his past… yet. _Winks_ Stay tuned!), **Sithknight-Galen** (Yeah, it's the people they least expect who impact the most. Now, I'm not saying to not trust maids or gardeners or anything like that, but throughout history, its been known that the serving class had been looked upon as less than important, especially when it came to secrets – therefore, 'the butler did it.' The Seyruun family has fallen prey to the same shortcomings. Leave it to the housekeeper's son to be the one to be suspicious of the new gardener… Zel, it seems, needs to grow up some more. Just when it seems he's finally getting it, he acts rashly and doesn't take into account the possibility of his _own_ emotional growth. Poor guy. Maybe Xelloss (or Lina) can knock some sense into him. _Hugs!_), **e-chan16** (Oh, my. You re-read the whole thing? Wow! Well, I hope this helps to satisfy you a bit. I'll really try to get back into the swing of things, but I can't make any promises except to try harder! I'm just glad you're enjoying it!)

A great big Bear-hug to everyone! So click the button and review!


	28. Fallout

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Warning:** I'm probably being overly-cautious, but this chapter will be rated **'R'** for the f-word and a couple of other swear words. It is also a teeny tiny bit lime-scented, so break out the margaritas… **You have been warned.**

**Chapter 28**

_**Fallout**_

"… _been receiving letters threatening the family…"_

Amelia yanked her helmet down over her head, trying to ignore the burning in her eyes. She tore out of the hospital parking lot with a loud squeal of her tires, and wove dangerously in and out of traffic, heedless of her own safety. Crimson streaks of taillights blazed by her as she passed car after car, and only some small sense of self-preservation brought her to a halt whenever a stoplight turned red. Her mind hardly registered her surroundings, yet she still turned when she needed to turn, and waited when she needed to wait.

"… _I was hired to protect you…"_

Her stomach clenched, and she frowned. How was she supposed to feel after a revelation like that? Surprised? Hurt? Angry? Sad? She sure as hell wasn't feeling _happy_ about it. Realizing that she was finally riding up her street, she allowed the foremost emotion to rise to the surface. She barely slowed down as she pulled into the driveway and screeched to a halt in front of the stairs to the apartment above the garage.

"_... Nothing worthwhile happened in Atlas City…"_

Amelia ground her teeth in anger, yanking off her helmet and dropping her backpack on the ground. She stormed into the house through the back door, letting it slam shut.

"Amelia!" Beth said with her ever-present smile, as she pulled a pot roast out of the oven. "You're home early. I'm not quite finished with dinner yet, but if you're hungry, you can have…"

"Where's Daddy and Gracia?" she demanded, cutting her off. Beth's smile vanished, and she regarded Amelia with worry. Almost immediately, Amelia felt bad.

Setting the steaming roast down on top of the stove, Beth answered her, and then placed her hands on her hips. "Your father had some errands to run, and your sister is doing some after-Thanksgiving shopping while she's in town. They should be home within the hour, though."

"Good. Call me when they get back." She was about to open the door, but her conscience made her turn back. "Thank you, Beth," she added as an afterthought, and the woman's features softened. Amelia was angry with her sister and father, not Miss Beth.

She returned to the quiet of the back yard. It was late afternoon, and the sky was darkening along with her mood. Without anyone available to take out her anger on, she wandered into the garage. Not bothering to change her clothes, she pulled out the practice dummy. Taking two steps back, she imagined this nameless, faceless culprit, who was out to harm her family.

**_Whack!_ **

She kicked it with all her might, and the dummy rocked backwards. She wasn't sure who she was angrier with: her family or Zelgadiss. After all, it had been their idea to keep her ignorant of all the threats in the first place. Zelgadiss was only following orders… Following orders.

_**Bam! Bam! Bam! **_

As it counter-balanced and came rushing forward, she punched it hard twice in the chest and again in the head. So, did his orders consist of being so nice and attentive and romantic that she couldn't help but fall…? Did his orders consist of dying in her arms? Did his orders consist of breaking her heart?

_**Crack! **_

Spinning around, she delivered a roundhouse kick to the head again, knocking it over, and off of its weighted base. "Dammit!" she yelled, punching it one more time for good measure. She hadn't even broken a sweat, but she had broken her stress-reliever. Annoyed even more than she was before, she slammed the garage door on her way out and after retrieving her backpack, trudged up the stairs.

The apartment above the garage was strewn with books and papers, but she added to the mess when she dropped her backpack by the futon. There was a stack of laundry that she needed to do, but she had been so busy lately that she hadn't gotten the chance to even sort it out. She absentmindedly added her jacket to the pile, kicked off her shoes, and flopped face-down onto the bed.

Her mind drifted back to the reason she was here rather than her own room. Squeezing her eyes shut, she fought off the memories and the accompanying headache, but they rushed at her, full force.

* * *

It was the last day of finals week, and she had been so scatter-brained from studying that she had forgotten her wrist watch at home for the past three days. And, unfortunately for her, she had been late for each of her classes because of that simple fact. So, needing as much time as she could possibly get on her Economics final, she decided to turn around and return home when she discovered that she had, yet again, left her watch at home. 

She was mentally reciting the glossary of econ terms she had memorized the previous night, when a truck, tearing down the hill, almost hit her as she turned onto her street. She swerved out of the way just in time. Resisting the urge to follow him and give him what for, she continued on.

Well, what goes around…

When she pulled up to the house, though, her heart jumped at the sight of Zelgadiss' car parked out in front of the house. What in the world was he doing…?

Then she saw him. The world around her was suddenly silent, birds muted and cars hushed, eerie in their stillness. Colors disappeared, leaving the scene a dull, washed-out canvas… all except for the vibrant green of the lawn where he lay, and the crimson beneath him staining everything a brilliant red. Her body, unexpectedly cold and numb, ached to move, but terror held her frozen in place.

"_Mister Zelgadiss!" _

A scream broke through the dense cloud of her mind, and somehow, she knew that it was her own voice that issued the guttural sound of horror. The spell broken, she finally moved.

Jumping off of her bike and pulling off her helmet, she ran to his prone form on the front lawn. She could smell the metallic tang of blood before she even reached him. Kneeling by him, she gently rolled him over, and gasped at how much blood there was soaking his clothes through.

"Mister Zelgadiss? Mister Zelgadiss, open your eyes, please!" she yelled. Looking around frantically for something to help bind his wounds, she quickly decided to rip his shirt, tearing it off in strips. "Someone! Mister Flemming! Miss Kowalski! Someone, please call 911!"

She saw a curtain open next door, and an elderly man waved to her with the phone next to his ear. Thank goodness Mister Flemming had heard her…

Trying her best to stem the flow of blood, she concentrated on the more vital wounds before rushing to tend to his legs and shoulder. Her fingers slipped as she tried to tie off the wounds, and she sought to keep her mind on the simple task of tying a knot. She couldn't allow herself to think on the reality of the fact that Zelgadiss had been shot several times in front of her house, and that he was very close to death, but as her fingers slipped a second time, her eyes finally registered how red and slick her hands were.

Red and slick with his blood.

"Oh, Zelgadiss," she cried, not able to hold back the tears. "Zelgadiss, please open your eyes!"

His eyes fluttered open for a moment, and a new flood of tears threatened to spill over again. She managed a weak smile for him, but his words almost killed her.

"Amelia…" he whispered. She could hear the gurgle in his throat as he spoke. "I'm glad… one last time…" His breath came out in a wheeze, and his eyes closed. No matter how loudly she yelled, they didn't open again.

"Don't leave me, please, Zelgadiss," she whispered as she checked his pulse and breathing.

_Nothing_…_ D… dead_…?

"No! Please, not again. I don't want someone I love to die again!" Lowering her lips to his, she lifted his chin, pinched his nose, and blew. His chest expanded, and she began CPR, silently praying that she would be able to breathe life back into the man whom she so desperately cared for.

_One and two and three and four…

* * *

_

It seemed like forever before she was able to feel a weak pulse and hear his shallow breathing. More than relieved when the paramedics arrived, she begged Sylphiel to allow her to accompany them to the hospital, staunchly refusing to leave his side. Upon their arrival, the doctors approached her to request a blood donation for Zelgadiss, and she immediately agreed, hoping that it would help to save his life. By the time her father and Beth showed up, Amelia would not leave the waiting area while he was in the operating room. Only when he was out of surgery did she finally consent to return home.

It was late evening when her father drove her back home, but the house was still cordoned off as a crime scene and was crawling with police. Surprisingly enough, there were no reporters and no helicopters in the air. She mindlessly gave a statement to one of the officers; it could have been Gourry for all she knew. She didn't care to think of why or how any of it might have happened. All Amelia wanted was to wash up and be alone for a while.

Lina had found her two hours later in the apartment above the garage, standing fully-clothed in a shower that had long since gone cold, staring blankly at the white-tiled floor. Amelia had vomited earlier, but was still racked by dry heaves. All the younger girl could see was Zelgadiss' blood still swirling down the drain, washing out of her clothing in rivulets; all she could see was her reddened hands trying to keep the dark liquid from seeping out of his body.

Her friend shut off the shower and gently dried her off, helping her change into some warm dry clothes. They sat on the futon, and Lina was able to coax Amelia into drinking some hot chocolate. Grateful for the comfort of each other's presence, neither needed to say a word. Lina didn't ask any questions, content to simply be a source of calm for her best friend. When Amelia finally succumbed to exhaustion, Lina sat with her until she was snoring peacefully at last.

Amelia decided to remain in the apartment because her room had been a police crime scene for over a day, and because she did not want to sleep in the room that had been the spot where Zel had almost been killed. Since there had been so much blood across the carpet, her father had decided to re-carpet the entire upstairs floor. Professional cleaners had come in to remove any lingering trace of blood on the walls and furniture. Amelia wanted to burn her stained bedding, but was relieved when the police confiscated it instead.

Now, her room was refreshed with new bedclothes and a new carpet, but still Amelia did not want to move back in…

When Beth knocked on her door an hour later to let her know that her family was home, she remembered exactly why she had returned early in the first place.

"How _could_ you?" she demanded, slamming her fist down on her father's desk. She had pulled them both into her father's study, and the second the door was closed, immediately launched into a tirade. "How could you have kept the truth from me this whole time? How long has it been going on?" She leaned over the desk and spat, "And don't try to deny it._ He_ told me about the threats."

They were silent for seconds that seemed to stretch for eternity. Naga finally found her voice. "I received the first note at Christmas. Daddy got another one a couple of months later."

"_Christmas?_ An entire _year_? Is that why you didn't come home last year?" Her sister's silence was as good as an affirmation. "What… what ever happened to 'We'll take care of each other?' What made you think that it was okay not to tell me what was going on?"

"W… well…" she stammered, "we just thought…"

"No! You _didn't_ think! This is still a family, isn't it? Families protect each other, don't they?"

Phil stepped forward. "This _was_ for your protection."

She rounded on him. "How is ignorance going to protect me from people that _you_ fear, Daddy? How could you hire some _stranger_ to protect me?"

"Tes, Zel's not a stranger…"

"He was when I met him! He _lied_ to me to get me to become his friend, Gracia! He lied about all the things we did together! He was just doing it all because he was being _paid_ to do it, not because he really cared!"

Her father tried to placate her. "Amelia, he didn't want to deceive you…"

"But he _did_! It was unjust of you to keep the truth from me, but it was worse for him to lie to me like that!"

"Look…"

"No, Daddy! _You_ look! I want to know everything. I want to see everything you have. I want to see everything the police have. I need to understand why I can't go back into my room, because no matter how much you clean it, all I can see is his blood everywhere! He almost died… no, he _did_ die because of me, and I never would have understood why! And now… and now…" She fought back the tears that she knew would spill, despite her best attempts at stemming the tide. "… and now, he… I just need to understand _why_!"

She fled before the first tear slipped from her face.

* * *

Beep. 

Beep.

Beep.

The heart monitor just kept beeping away, despite the fact that he _had_ no heart.

It was well after midnight, and though he should have been asleep hours ago, Zelgadiss lay in the dark, staring at the jumping green line which was ticking little mountains and valleys across the stark black screen, telling him that he was alive. Below it was his oxygen measurement indicating that his oxygen saturation was good, as well as his latest blood pressure results from the automated band on his arm pointing out that his blood pressure was returning to normal.

By all means, he should have been dead. After losing so much blood and flat-lining twice, he _should_ have been dead.

Why? Why was he alive?

He silently cursed the doctors. Didn't they know that he _deserved_ to die?

Sometime later, a nurse entered his room to check his vitals, and noticing that he was still awake, decided to give him something to help him rest. He didn't get a chance to fight it: they administered it to him intravenously. Silently cursing the doctors and the nurses, Zelgadiss finally fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

She hugged her knees closer to her chest. She had prepared herself for a cold night like this by bringing a thick warm hooded jacket, but she hadn't anticipated that the fog would make her wet and even more miserable. Also, sitting on a concrete block on a deserted trail down a cliff beside an ocean wasn't making life any easier, either. 

Amelia had no idea what made her come here, of all places. It was probably because no one knew about this spot. She didn't want to talk to anyone just yet, since she couldn't pinpoint exactly what she was feeling in the first place. The quiet calm of the ocean always soothed her spirit, but everyone knew her usual haunting grounds. This place was a 'secret' that only one other person close to her knew of, and she doubted that she would see him again anytime soon.

Now that time had passed and her boiling emotions had slowly fizzled out of her, she began to feel awful for yelling at her father and sister. She was also beginning to feel the acute ache in her heart at Zelgadiss' words and his cold demeanor.

"…_nothing worthwhile happened in Atlas City…_"

Those words rang harshly in her ears, and all at once, she was sobbing quietly again. Just when they had been getting so close, she discovered that it was all a sham. Her chest tightened again at a sudden thought: she had fallen in love with a lie.

Just a month ago, he had appeared to be so forlorn when she was ranting about leaving Atlas City and returning home, but at the time, she thought it was because he really wanted her to stay with him. Now she knew that it was because he didn't want to be stuck there if the girl he was protecting was going home.

And then… then there was the water show… She had truly thought that he was going to kiss her just then. They had actually been joking and playing around. She had never seen Zelgadiss smile or laugh so much, and it had lifted her heart to think that she was the cause. But when he took her hand… and then he leaned in…

Amelia buried her face in her hands. Oh, how could she be such a fool? Of course, she was angry at the deception; she had sat for hours cursing him for the worst kind of manipulator and impostor, but by the time her heart had cooled, reason set in, and she was left with the lingering sense of defeat and foolishness.

"I love him," she cried silently, no longer able to deny what her heart had already known. "I love him so much, even though he lied the whole time. I love someone who doesn't even exist…"

The hours ticked by, and regret slowly began to freeze over with a steely resolve. The Zelgadiss she knew and loved was pure fantasy: the Zelgadiss who recited and _was _"Cyrano de Bergerac" to her, who actually smiled in a picture at the car show, who would eat dinner with her at work if Lina wasn't around, who taught her Muay Tuay and played video games at his house, who broke down and cried into her hair at the beach, and who comfortably walked hand in hand with her that one magical night…

His duplicity was deplorable. She wasn't sure her heart would ever be able to forgive him.

The soft sound of footfalls suddenly broke through her thoughts, and Amelia realized with a start, how completely vulnerable she was, just sitting alone in this secluded spot, with no one around to hear her scream. What if the threat to the family wasn't really over yet and someone found her alone…?

She was just about to hide in the bushes when a figure suddenly appeared on the trail. Before she knew what she was doing, she had jumped up and kicked out hard, connecting squarely with the person's mid-section. She heard a surprised grunt before he doubled over in pain. Her elbow slammed down on his shoulders, and he collapsed to the ground. Not waiting around to find out who it was, Amelia took off running up the trail back towards the street where her motorcycle was parked, her sneakers pounding the water-slicked asphalt. She shoved her hand into her pocket as she ran, fishing around for her keys.

Just as she pulled them out, her foot slipped, and she fell forward, skidding several feet and getting the wind knocked out of her. Her keys flew out of her hand and into the grass of the tiny park that marked the trailhead. Ignoring the pain in her skinned palms and knees, she shook her head to clear it, and her eyes searched frantically for the tiniest glint of metal in the dark wet grass.

And then she heard it.

Footsteps, coming up fast. Dammit! He was up already! Just then, her hand closed upon the familiar set of keys, and she was up and running again.

"Hey!" the man yelled, and fear spurred Amelia forward. He was right behind her!

She slipped, yet again, on the wet grass, just as a hand closed upon her jacket, and they went down together. He landed hard on top of her and regained his senses before she did. Straddling her, he turned her over and knotted his fist into her jacket to hold her still. She tried to fight him off, but he quickly wound his other fist back and struck her hard in the face, knocking her hood off.

Pain bloomed in her head for a brief moment, and then blessedly disappeared.

"What? A… Amelia?" she heard him say worriedly, just before she blacked out. All she could see were his familiar green eyes…

* * *

_Ring. Ring._

"…" She grunted as she picked up the phone. "What? This had better be good. It's six in the morning."

"_Lina, is Tes there with you?_"

"Tes? Who? Who is this?" Her mind was still trying to catch up to the conversation.

"_Don't be stupid. It's me. Is my sister there with you?_"

"No. Why?"

"_We can't find her. She stormed out of here last night and hasn't come home yet._"

She groaned. "Naga, you sure she didn't just fall asleep at the hospital?"

"_She's not there. She… had a falling out with Zel. And then with us, too._"

That got her attention, and she sat up, rubbing her eyes and fighting off a yawn. "What? Are you sure? Oh, never mind. Tell me later. Have you checked Rocket-ship Park?"

"_That was the first place we looked last night. She wasn't there. We've gone to all her usual hideouts. We even went to Zelgadiss' house. We can't find her anywhere. I'm afraid she might have gone to a bar somewhere…" _

"Okay, so who's been looking?"

"_Daddy wanted to go, but I convinced him to stay at home in case she returned. Beth and Jordan went out in one car, and I've been looking with Val..._"

Lina interrupted her. "You asked_ Val_?"

"_Of course! He usually knows where to find her when she's upset._"

"Did you tell him why she's gone?"

"_I told him that we got into a fight._"

"You didn't tell him about her fight with Zel, did you?"

There was a pause, and then she whispered, "_No, but I don't think he bought my excuse._"

Great. Val was the last person Amelia needed involved in her love life right now.

"Good. If he asks, don't tell him. He'd go ballistic and probably try to hurt Zel if he knew…"

"_He'd probably deserve it._"

"Alright, whatever. Um… Let me call Gourry, too."

"_No police…_"

"Naw, nothing like that. He knows places where kids like to go when they don't want to be found. He'll be able to help."

"_O… okay. I feel so guilty. She yelled at me like I was the worst kind of person in the world. I…_"

"Save it for when I get there. You can explain it to us then. I'll see you in a little bit."

Lina hung up the phone with a frown. What the hell could have happened to make Amelia act so… uncharacteristically? Her best friend hadn't even called her at all last night to tell her that something was wrong. And leave it to Naga to go asking someone _other_ than her best friend to help to find her. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she pulled them on as she called Gourry.

* * *

Amelia opened her eyes. 

The first thing she noticed was that she wasn't in her room or the apartment above the garage. She was in a white room with white blinds, and loads of moving boxes strewn about the room. She was lying on a bed that was just a mattress on a box spring on the floor, covered with blue sheets.

She gasped suddenly, remembering what had just happened. Had she just walked right into the arms of whoever was sending all those letters? But… he was dead, wasn't he? Dead and gone, so who did she…?

"Oh, good. You're awake," someone said, interrupting her thoughts. She sat up, clutching the thin blanket to her shivering frame, and her head began pounding. Her eyes squeezed shut in pain. "Amelia, calm down! It's me!"

Her eyes popped open, and she recognized the voice before her eyes focused on the face.

"Ch… Chad?"

Her ex-boyfriend… The young man before her appeared so different from the last time she had seen him. His hair was still light blond, but it was much shorter and more groomed now than the mop he had worn last year. And his shoulders were broader, as if he had been aggressively working out. That didn't seem like him at all. Though he had always enjoyed surfing, he despised exerting himself. She had just seen him six months ago at graduation, and he had been thin and wiry, not well-toned and muscular.

"Jeez, you scared the crap out of me earlier," he said, placing a cup of water and a wrapped sandwich on the nearest box. He handed her an ice pack. "I brought you some food. Here. Sorry about the shiner, but I can't say that you didn't deserve it."

She touched her cheek gingerly with the pack. The skin felt taut around her left eye, and she could tell it was very swollen. She didn't even want to know what her face looked like.

He sat down on the carpet and leaned back against a box. "Hey, what the hell were you thinking, attacking me like that? I thought you were going to mug me or something."

"Mug?"

"Yeah. You came jumping out and hit me like that. What was I supposed to think?"

"Oh. Sorry about that. I… I guess I thought that _you_ were going to attack _me._"

He snorted. "Well that was dumb of you. What kind of mugger goes running down a deserted path at four in the morning?"

"I… I don't know."

He shook his head, but then looked up at her, curiosity clear on his face. "Hey, what were you doing down there in the first place? I go running all the time over there, and I've never seen you before."

"Um…" she began, wondering if she should tell her ex-boyfriend about her current non-boyfriend troubles. This was going to make her headache worse.

"Reliving our memories?" he asked with a smirk, baiting her.

"No!" she yelled, blushing. She had tried not to think of that spot as the place where Chad used to bring her to have some 'alone time' together. It was merely the one place that she was familiar with that no one else in her life knew about. "No… I just wanted to… get away from things for a while."

He placed his hand gently on her knee, and his eyes flicked down to her hand, inches away from his own. "Are things bad at home?"

Amelia only nodded, not wanting to rehash the whole emotional gambit that she had gone through that night.

His green eyes unfocused, and he stared at the drab white wall behind her. "Yeah, things can suck real bad sometimes, but you've just got to remember that no matter what goes on in life, you just can't replace family."

Touched by such an insightful comment, she suddenly wondered, "Is everything okay with _you_?" Her hand moved the inches separating them, and covered his.

He glanced up at her in surprise. "Yeah, everything's cool, Amelia," he said, pulling his hand back to his lap. "Hey, look. If you've got some problems with your family, you can to stay here for a while, but I think you need to let your dad know where you are. I don't think my mom'd mind."

Neither accepting nor declining the invitation, she instead asked, "Is your mom here? I'd like to see her again…"

He suddenly looked away, very embarrassed. "No, my mom's… at work."

"Your mom works now?"

"Uh, hey, did you want to eat your sandwich?"

"Chad…"

"I remembered that you liked turkey…"

"Chad, stop. What happened? This isn't your room, is it?"

"Yeah, it's my room. We moved five months ago."

"But…" She looked out of the window. "This is an apartment. Is this _your_ apartment? I thought you were going to college in New Sairaag…"

"Amelia, my family lives here. We moved to this apartment not too far from where I found you. That trail is part of my morning run before I go in to work."

"You're _working_ instead of going to school? But you wanted to go to the best business school around…"

He picked at the lint on the blanket covering her feet. "My dad went bankrupt. Something happened with a bunch of his customers and his workers, and Dad ended up getting shafted. So, to help out my parents, I got a job as a longshoreman, and I've been working ever since. You're lucky my card didn't get pulled today, or you'd be here alone."

"But… your dad makes a lot of money, doesn't he?"

"He did. We lost everything…" His brows dipped, and he glanced up at her. "Hey, are you… are you still seeing that guy?"

Despite herself, she blushed. "Guy? What guy?"

"That Xelloss guy you went to Prom with."

"Mister Xelloss?" She could hardly believe what she was hearing. "I never was going out with him. We just went to Prom together." Why were people constantly thinking she was dating people she wasn't?

"Good," he muttered.

"You're… you're not _jealous_ are you?" She smirked despite herself.

To his credit, he didn't stutter, but his face reddened. "No. I can't really care who you date anymore, can I? We had our chance, but I screwed it all up, so all I can do is wish you the best."

For the first time since they had broken up, Amelia began to feel better about Chad.

"You're seeing that other guy, then?"

This time, it was Amelia's turn to blush. "What guy?"

"I saw you a few months ago at the Citadel. You were dancing with that one weird-looking guy. It looked like his face was covered with scars…"

"Hmph! _He_ is not even worth mentioning." Her head began to throb again.

"Huh. Broke your heart, then?"

"I don't want to talk about it. What do you have against Mister Xelloss, anyway?" she asked, trying to shift the conversation away from the direction it was heading.

His expression darkened. "Nothing. He just seemed to me a shady lawyer with all the wrong connections, if you get what I mean. How well do you know him?"

"Not very well… wait. Are you saying that he might have had something to do with your dad going bankrupt?"

"Hey, I'm not saying anything. He just… well, he didn't exactly threaten…"

"But he _did_ say something?" she prodded.

"Yeah…" He seemed to reconsider. "Look, for a long time after my dad went bankrupt, I blamed Xelloss because it was easier than blaming him. Then my mom said that it was all his fault anyway, and they got into a huge fight and separated. I couldn't leave my mom alone, you know? So I decided to stay with her until they worked everything out. Dad just moved back in a month ago. It's been… tough."

"Oh, Chad…"

"So don't take your family lightly, Amelia," he said, touching her cheek gently. "You never know when everything will fall apart."

She leaned forward and hugged him, hoping to afford him some comfort in his troubled time. He wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing gently. She was about to release him when he pulled her closer, moving his hand suggestively down her back.

"Mmm… You feel _so_ good…"

_**Smack!**_

Amelia frowned, her arms crossed in front of her, and glared at her ex. "You never give up, do you?" she asked, resisting the urge to slap him again.

As he rubbed his cheek, he smirked. "Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying."

"You're lucky I'm pissed at someone else worse than I am at you." She laughed, despite the way she felt, and shook her head.

_Some things never change…_

She picked up the sandwich, and they spoke cordially while she ate. To her relief, he didn't ask her about the mystery man who had gotten her so worked up. It helped to calm her, to be able to talk freely with someone who didn't know anything about Zelgadiss, and who didn't ask questions about her family. The whole time, he surprisingly kept his hands clearly to himself.

Perhaps things _do_ change after all…

* * *

_Click._

Zelgadiss began to stir from a restless sleep. It was not the nightmare that had plagued him before; rather, it was an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach that refused to be ignored or squashed. He had tried to empty his mind and his heart of any lingering thought or emotion connected to the girl, but floating along in a sea of darkness, the light of her being seemed to be ever present, illuminating the dank recesses of his mind.

In his mind, he reached out towards the glow in a futile effort to snuff it out…

_**Smack!**_

His eyes flew open, and his hand rushed to his stinging cheek. His bewildered brain fought to understand why a vengeful-looking woman was standing above his bed, glaring down at him, ready to slap him again.

"Naga?" he asked, trying to sit up. Glancing behind her, he noticed that the door to his room was closed.

"You double-crossing bastard," she spat. "I thought that _you_ were the one who told us not to tell Amelia the truth, and you go behind our backs and tell her anyway?"

"It was for the best," he growled.

"Screw that! If we had told her the truth ourselves, then it wouldn't have been like that! We would have been able to explain everything, and she would have listened instead of running off like she did! She's _missing_ thanks to you!"

Panic filled his chest, and he sat up. "She's missing?"

"Yeah, not that it's any of your concern. I don't think she'll want to have anything to do with you anymore," she said sadly.

"Missing?" he repeated to himself.

His mind began working frantically. Why hadn't it occurred to him until now? Dilgear was supposed to have died years ago in the same accident that had scarred him, yet apparently his 'death' had been faked and he was able to get close to the Seyruun family without anyone's knowledge. Now that Dilgear was dead (again), there was obviously someone behind his resurfacing. After all, a supposedly dead S.W.A.T. team member couldn't have shown up at Amelia's house for such a stupid reason as stealing a girl's jewelry. Whoever was behind this was able to pull some pretty big strings, and they were still out there somewhere.

"Give me my watch," he ordered.

She bristled at the demand. "What?"

"My watch. It's in a bag in the closet over there in the corner."

"Stop changing the subject, Zel. It's eleven AM," she muttered, checking her wrist.

"Dammit, Naga! Get me my watch!"

"Get it your own damned self!" she yelled, crossing her arms beneath her chest.

Didn't she understand that if Amelia was missing, then she could be in danger from the mastermind of the plot? It wasn't over yet. And now they could have Amelia…

Naga interrupted his train of thought with a quiet question. "You did it because_ they _were here, didn't you?"

"What?"

She shook her head. "I told Eris that she shouldn't visit you, but she never listened to me before. After all, if she had listened to me in the first place, you two would still be together."

"Thank goodness for small favors," he grumbled at the anger that had suddenly clouded his vision. He tried to remember what he had just been thinking about. His thoughts were still disjointed, and he often found it difficult to concentrate. He hated those damned sedatives. Naga, however, didn't want to let it drop.

"You're a coward. I used to think that _I_ was a fool for running away from my problems, but you're even worse. You push everything away from you until you're all alone in the world, just so you can rage against it for not being fair to you. Do you even realize that you're _letting_ Rezo and Eris control your life? You're letting what happened years ago affect your life today."

He scowled at her, but she continued, glaring back at him.

"You don't care to hear anyone's reasons or excuses; you just assume that you know everything. Well, here's some news for you, Einstein. Amelia's _not_ Eris. She was angry with me and Daddy for not telling her the truth, but she was even more upset at the thought that _you_ were the one who lied to her. If you're lying to anyone, it's to yourself." She huffed. "And you call yourself a man."

"Are you finished?" he bit out, trying to keep his anger in check.

"No. I didn't come here to try to figure you out. You betrayed my sister. That's all there is to it. She's gone missing because of you, but _we'll_ find her without your help. I came here to let you know that I'm pulling my case from you."

That certainly got his attention. "You're not serious…"

"Xelloss gave you my mother's murder case to research because he thought that you'd have some insights into it. I see now that I was wrong to trust you with it, just as I was wrong to trust you with my sister's heart. You said you'd never hurt her, Zel. I guess you lied to me, too."

Despite his rising temper, he didn't have anything to say to refute her cutting lecture. How could he? She was right, every word of it. And now he was losing a job that he believed was integral to solving his own parents' deaths…

_Ring. Ring._

_His parents had died in an airplane crash that had killed both them and the pilot. Little remained to ascertain a cause of the crash._

"Hello? Val? Did you find something?" Naga answered her phone as she opened the door to the room.

_Amelia's mother's killer had died in a fiery car crash that had destroyed a lot of trace evidence, leaving many questions as to his motive._

She paused in the doorway. "You found her? Is she okay? She's not hurt or anything?"

_Now Dilgear is suddenly conveniently dead, burned in a fiery car crash with only a handful of charred jewelry and letters to lay out his guilt._

"She doesn't want to see us right now? Oh. Okay. She can stay with you, I guess. I'll call Daddy and the others to let them know. Thanks, Val. Take care of her, okay? Bye…" Naga's footsteps echoed down the hall as she walked away.

Zelgadiss closed his eyes and leaned back in his pillows. It was all connected somehow, but he just needed to find the threads that bound them all together. That was the only thought he allowed himself to dwell upon. He had clearly overheard Naga's conversation as she left the room, and it was all he could do to pretend not to be relieved that Amelia was safe, and upset that she was with Val.

* * *

Val quietly closed the door to his room where Amelia was resting. Her migraines had returned in full force over the last month, since that Zelgadiss guy had been shot, and every now and again, one would knock her down for the count. Val knew that it had triggered her old fears and nightmares, but whenever he had approached her at school about how she was doing, she had always put on her fake smile and told him not to worry. 

That only made him worry.

So when Naga called his cel phone at four in the morning to find out if Amelia was with him, he wasn't about to let her hang up without telling him what was wrong. And when he found out that she hadn't returned or contacted her family last night, he decided to seek out all her old hiding places and try to find her himself. And when he would find her, he promised himself that he wouldn't take 'I'm okay' for an answer.

But after hours of searching for her, no one had found any trace of her anywhere. Not at the beach or at the pier, and not at anyone's house. Lina and Gourry had searched the university (even though it was a Saturday), Beth and Jordan had searched the nearby parks, and Naga went off on her own to see Zelgadiss.

He frowned. If that Zelgadiss guy had anything to do with Amelia's disappearance, he wouldn't hold back, even if the dude _was_ a cop. Walking to the kitchen of his quiet house, Val filled the teakettle and began to boil some water. Except for him and Filia, the family was on vacation in the desert: some family reunion or something like that. Filia didn't go because, like today, she was logging hours at the hospital like a madwoman in preparation for one of her upcoming tests, and Val didn't go because, although he loved his foster parents, he never quite got along with the rest of Filia's family. He always figured it had to do with the fact that he would be the lone head of green in a sea of blond.

When the water was boiling, he poured it into two mugs, one with lemon juice, the other with chamomile tea. Pouring a generous glob of honey into each one, he stirred them both and returned to his room. Amelia was curled up on his bed in the darkened room, her eyes squeezed shut and her arm over her head. Val had lowered and closed the blinds for her, but apparently it was still too bright for her sensitive eyes.

"Amelia?" he asked softly. "I got you some tea. Do you think you can drink some?"

One bright blue eye opened, and she pushed herself upright into a sitting position. She looked a mess. Taking the mug, she carefully sipped at the liquid, closing her eyes in pain every so often. Val sat at his desk chair and watched her.

"Thanks for letting me stay with you, Mister Val," she said quietly, setting the mug down on the nightstand and closing her eyes. "I still don't know how you found me, but I'm glad that you did."

He felt a sudden warmth rush through his chest, and he tried to push it away. "It was a fluke, really," he said, trying to play it off. "I just remembered that you'd said that you loved going down to Portuguese Bend on your bike 'cause you could fly there."

The infamous Portuguese Bend. It wasn't anything spectacular, but it was a little frightening if you weren't expecting it. On the back side of the hill, a street wound along the cliffs of the coast, offering incredible views of the ocean and Wolfpack Island in the distance. The road, however, was almost constantly under repair, because the cliffs happened to _move. _Plate tectonics aside, the ground had long ago buckled at one point of the winding road, yet man had refused to be outdone by nature. He merely smoothed it out, paved it over, and warned drivers of a 'sudden dip' ahead. The result: a bend in the road where the car in front of you suddenly disappeared, dropping down a sharp dip, and where, if you were careless enough and drove fast enough, you could catch some serious air.

"I checked the area, but since you weren't there, I just kept driving towards the port. That's when I saw you being hauled to your bike by that twit. I still say you should have let me deck him. He deserved it for what he did…"

"Chad was just trying to make me go back home, Val, though his methods left much to be desired," she said tiredly. His drink stopped halfway to his mouth. He missed hearing her call him that…

She continued, not having seen his conflict. "I explained it to you already. I didn't want to go, that's all. And before you bring it up again, the black eye was _my_ fault. It was a misunderstanding that could have been avoided if I had been thinking rationally."

"I still don't get why the hell you were out there in the first place. So you had a fight with your family. Who doesn't?"

"It's not just that…"

"Then what is it?"

"It's…" She seemed to reconsider. "It's… it's nothing."

"Amelia." He set his drink down and sat on the bed next to her, leaning back against the wall. Drawing his long legs up, he rested his arms on his knees. "Stop shutting me out. We used to be really close, remember? Now you can't even come to me with your problems?"

"It's complicated."

"Yeah, it's called 'life', remember? Heh, I guess the shoe's on the other foot now, huh? A few years ago, it was _you_ telling _me_ that I shouldn't keep things in, that I should share." He glanced sideways at her and grinned. "Your turn, Amelia."

Her eyes were shimmering, and he knew that he was going to have a waterfall to contend with. As he was looking around for his tissue box so he could offer her something substantial enough to soak up the Niagara, she suddenly threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.

"Oh, Val! I don't know what I'm supposed to think or how I'm supposed to feel…"

He could only hold her gently, awkwardly stroking her back as she sobbed into his favorite shirt. Amazingly, he didn't seem to care. He was finally going to be able to _be there_ for one of his best friends, but in truth, he was afraid that she could hear his heart pounding in his chest, slamming with such force that it terrified him.

She had called him 'Val' like she used to, and she didn't shy away from the tender kisses he planted on her forehead as he held her close, comforting her. Oh, damn. He didn't think he would ever get over her now.

But, then again, at that moment, he didn't want to.

* * *

"I'm home!" Filia called into the house, pulling off her shoes and placing them neatly on the shoe rack next to Val's boots and a smaller pair of sneakers. Did he have company? She didn't see a car in the driveway… 

When her brother didn't immediately answer, she set her purse down on the couch and walked down the hallway to his room. If he and his guest were hungry, she could cook dinner for the three of them, or maybe they could all go out to dinner. Yeah, that sounded better. After being on her feet for ten hours straight, she didn't much feel like cooking anyway.

The door to his room was slightly open, but the lights weren't on. It was already five o'clock in the evening, and the rest of the house was still dark. Maybe he left his bike here and went somewhere with his friend. Just to check, she turned on the hall light and pushed open the door.

Stifling a gasp, she pulled the door closed as quickly and as quietly as she could. Her eyes wide open, she turned off the hall light and gathered her things, slipping out the door and back into her car.

"Omigosh omigosh…" She started the engine and drove away, pulling out her cell phone and dialing a number.

"_Hello?_"

"Miss Lina!"

"_Damn. You don't have to yell, Filia. What's up?_"

"Did you know about… about Val and Miss Amelia?"

"_Huh? Well, yeah. Naga told me._"

"Naga? You mean Miss Amelia didn't tell you herself?"

"_No. I guess it's none of my business, huh?_" She sounded miffed. "_Whatever. It's her life. She chooses who she wants to be with._"

"Aren't you even curious? It was awfully sudden."

"_No. If she doesn't want to talk to her best friend about it, then what can I do? Besides, did Val tell **you** anything?_"

"No. I just came home and found them here."

"_Did either of them say anything?_"

"No. I didn't want to bother them, so I left."

"_That's weird. Why didn't you ask them?_"

"They were…" She sighed. "…they were busy. Miss Lina, what about Mister Zelgadiss?"

"_Well, he screwed up. I'm going over there tonight to find out what happened. Either way, things will work themselves out._"

"I suppose so. Well, have you eaten yet?"

"_Actually, me and Gourry are at Rebb's right now. Wanna join us?_"

Filia laughed. "Order me a catfish sandwich. I'll be there in ten minutes. Bye."

As she put away her phone, her mind drifted back to the scene she had unwittingly intruded upon. Val was asleep in bed, but curled up in his arms, laid Amelia. They were both under the covers, and Filia closed the door before she could confirm whether or not they were fully clothed. She didn't want to think about it. She knew about her foster brother's feelings for their friend, but she had thought that Amelia liked Zelgadiss, especially after what happened last month. So when the heck did all of this happen? Apparently, it wasn't news to Lina, so Filia decided not to dwell on it either.

What will be, will be.

* * *

"You had four months, and there have been no results, not even a hint. You're an expensive wheel to keep spinning. I want that file on my desk by Monday morning, Xelloss," Naga said solemnly as she tugged her gloves onto her long fingers. "Your last payment will be wired to you when it is." 

"_But, Naga, dear. You signed a contract…_"

"Yes, but if you read the fine print, that contract is null and void upon the 'unauthorized dissemination of the information within the file'. Your words, not mine. I can sue you, you know."

"_I told you that I was going to have him look into it._"

"Yes, but prove it. I never put it in writing, and you don't record your phone calls. And don't even try to work me, Xelloss. I've got a team of lawyers waiting to sharpen their knives."

The phone was silent for several moments. Then, "_You're speaking with your emotions, Naga. I'm sure if you reconsider…_"

She cut him off. "Consider yourself _re_-considered. You're fired."

She pressed the 'End' button as he began trying to reason with her, and closed her phone with a scowl. He was right, she knew, but that still didn't mean that she couldn't pull her case from both of them for being jerks. First Zelgadiss, now Xelloss: one lying bastard after the other. '_We're getting close. He's got some good leads. If we can see the rest of the file, then I'm sure we'll have another breakthrough.'_

Liars.

And she was one of them.

The final boarding call was announced, and Naga stood, extending the handle of her carry-on and strutting towards Gate 4-B. She would be in Atlas City by ten o'clock and wallowing in her guilt by ten thirty. How could she face her sister after all of this? She was running away, of course, but what else could she do? She had left a note for Amelia, apologizing for every deception she had subjected her to, and could only hope that she would be forgiven.

Naga handed her ticket to the attendant and boarded the plane with her tail between her legs.

* * *

Gourry waited outside while Lina barged into the hospital room. Lina told him a little bit about what happened between Amelia, her family and Zelgadiss, and that she wanted to hear it for herself from one of them. There was something about letters that were threatening the family and that was why Zel was shot. But that, Gourry already figured out on his own. When Zelgadiss had asked him to look into that racing company, he knew that he was worried about Amelia's safety, more so than just acquaintances or mere friends. And when Zel was shot, Gourry was the one who took the statements, since the family was already comfortable with him. The captain had informed him that it was all because of those 'damn letters'. 

But he didn't understand how Amelia didn't know about any of that, and why she was so upset with them. He wanted to be a good friend to Zel, offer him an impartial shoulder to lean on, but it was difficult when Lina wanted to put him under a microscope. Knowing his friend, he would just clam up and shut them out. So, Gourry remained in the waiting room, but he was waiting for another time when he could talk confidentially with his friend.

Lina walked in and sat down next to Zelgadiss' bed without a greeting or a slap. He seemed surprised to see her, even glad perhaps, but his arms remained crossed in front of him.

"Are you here to read me the riot act, too?" he grumbled.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether or not you tell me the truth. After all, it seems to be a nasty habit of yours lately."

"It's none of your business, Lina."

"It _is_ my business when Naga calls me at six in the morning to help her look for her sister who's missing because someone decided to slap her in the face with the truth about the lies that had been told to her for the past year." She had said it calmly, without a hint of anger or resentment. "Why'd you do it, Zel? You and Amelia were…"

"Were what? We weren't seeing each other. We weren't in a relationship. Maybe we were like you and Gourry, right?" he spat, mockingly. She looked away, a slight hint of a blush touching her cheeks, but Zelgadiss missed it. He was still consumed in his rant. "I was wrong to think we should keep the truth from her, so I corrected that. I told her about the threat to her family. It's not my fault she's too _immature_ to handle the information."

Despite the fact that she felt a little affronted by the fact that Amelia had not come to her for help, especially after she had been there for her after Zel was shot, Lina felt a different kind of irritation at her other friend. The arrogance!

"_Immature?_ You think the girl who saved your life, whose blood flows through that rock you call a heart; you think that she's immature? You have no idea what she's been through, and what you've put her through. But she still stayed by your side, every hour that she wasn't at school or working or sleeping. She sat there holding your hand and talking to you so you wouldn't be alone."

"I _know_ what she's done for me," he stated.

Lina studied him. Beneath the bitter and condescending show he was putting on for her, he seemed defeated. It all seemed so familiar, and she felt a profound sense of déjà vu. She and Zelgadiss had been in this same situation before.

Naga had mentioned something in passing to her, and she wanted to see for herself if it were true. She leveled her gaze at him. "Even Eris didn't do that for you."

Suddenly, his face screwed up into a snarl, and he exploded. "_Shut the fuck up! _Get the hell out of my room!"

"I thought so. Whatever. I was there for you the last time you were in the hospital, but screw you if you don't want me here now. You should look in the mirror if you want to see 'immature'. You know how to reach me if you ever grow up."

She got up and walked to the door, but she heard him mutter, "Bitch."

Instead of launching herself at him and pummeling him into the bed like she wanted to, she merely held out her fist and extended her middle finger. "Bye, asshole."

Lina felt like crap. Although she never needed or desired to be surrounded by loads and loads of friends, she attracted people whom she ultimately cared for, despite their quirks and irritating behaviors. Even Martina was good for a laugh every once in a _long_ while, as irritating and condescending as she was. But her close friendships, her best friends, Lina treasured very much. She hated feeling as if these friendships were falling apart. Why did Zel wish to hurt her feelings, as well? Why hadn't Amelia come to her for help? What was worse was the fact that she didn't know what she could do to fix it.

"Hey," Gourry said, waving her over. She hadn't even noticed that she had entered the waiting room. When he saw the look on her face, he stood and held his arms open. Lina entered his embrace without a second thought, wrapping her thin arms around him and holding tight.

"Zel's gone prickly again," she said into his chest. "He called me a 'bitch,' so I flipped him off."

"You didn't hit him?" he asked, chuckling despite the situation, and the low rumble in his chest sent a thrill up her spine.

"I didn't feel like it," she answered, looking up at him. "I haven't heard from Amelia at all today. She hasn't called home or my cel."

"Why don't you talk to her when you can. I'll see if I can get through Zel's thrones."

"You mean 'thorns'?" she smirked. This time, she didn't hit him or call him 'dummy.'

"Yeah. But I'll talk to him later, after he's cooled off."

"Thanks, Gourry."

"Come on. I'll buy you dessert and then take you home."

She smiled. "I'm feeling better already."

* * *

Amelia slowly awoke, becoming aware of the fact that her migraine was lessening in force, slinking away into the background where she could finally deal with it. The second thing that she noticed was the fact that her stomach was cramping; she was starving. But what made her finally open her eyes was the fact that someone was rubbing her temples with one hand and stroking her hair gently with the other. 

She opened her eyes.

Val was gazing at her, the fingers of his right hand halting their magical ministrations at her temples to trace her jaw line while his other hand continued to tenderly caress her hair. The moonlight that streamed in through the window bathed him in a soft light, smoothing out the harsh scars on his cheeks and creating an ethereal air about him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't want to wake you."

Her breath caught in her throat. She had fallen asleep in his arms, but rather than feeling awkward or embarrassed, she merely felt contented. Val always had a way of making her feel wanted, accepted… loved.

Loved.

That's what she saw in his eyes as he watched her: a look of adoration, of hope, of pain, of understanding, of fear. She had seen that look before, many times, yet it was always clouded, always guarded. Now, however, it was open and unabashed, free in his affection for her. He was still in love with her.

"Val…"

A terrible longing ached in her gut, winding its way up to squeeze her already fragile heart. The feeling was familiar, yet foreign as well. She remembered what it was like, this yearning, but she had always been able to control it, to keep her mind above it. But as she continued to gaze into his eyes, his beautiful golden eyes, she found that her mind was refusing to work, having already been pounded into submission by the vice grip of a migraine.

"Amelia…"

He bent his head to hers, and she found herself reaching up to meet him. His lips were trembling, and she knew the fear he held; she had seen it in his eyes. He was afraid she would turn away. Maybe she had turned away too many times. Maybe_ this_ was what she had been waiting for. Maybe she could lose herself in him, be cared for and loved.

Maybe she could forget…

Returning his uncertain kiss, she remembered what it was like. She remembered how the creepy punk on the bus had become one of her best friends. She remembered how he used to help her through the stray migraines that had found her after Anderson by rubbing her temples and stroking her hair. She remembered how she had become charmed by this new person who strove to be better than he could be, better than what the world had in mind for him. She remembered how she had loved him then, proud of his accomplishments, but prouder still of _him. _She remembered how he had been her first crush, and how it hurt her to give him up, thinking that he'd never see her as anything but a friend.

How little did she know…?

Their tentative kisses had become more heated and dizzying. Amelia lifted her face from his to catch her breath, and Val turned his attention to stringing fluttering kisses along her neck. She moaned in pleasure, feeling goose bumps rising up along her arms. He pulled her face back to his, and she was drowning in him once again, feeling his tongue sliding across hers. Then his hands were on her back, on her hip, on her thigh, roaming freely, exploring gently. He slipped his hand beneath her shirt and brushed across the gentle swell of her breast.

Her eyes opened wide, and she gripped his shoulder.

Oh god.

Not that.

She remembered…

A car door slammed, and they broke apart, breathless, staring at each other in shock and wonder.

Amelia blinked, and then they both sat up quickly and tried to make themselves presentable. Val switched on his light while she smoothed out her hair and her clothes. Her lips were swollen, and her breathing was unsteady, but Val wasn't any better off than she was.

"Shit," he muttered, panting heavily. "Give me that pillow, Amelia. Go sit at the other end of the bed."

She was about to ask why when she realized his reason. She moved without a word and tried not to stare. Placing the pillow on his lap, he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked up at her, and was about to say something when the front door slammed.

"I'm home!" Filia yelled.

Val's brows creased, but he answered. "Yeah, Fil. Amelia's here."

The blonde knocked on the door before pushing it open. "Oh, hi, Miss Amelia!" she said brightly. "I didn't see your bike out front."

She hoped Filia wouldn't notice their strange behavior. "Val gave me a ride. I'm going to pick up my bike tomorrow."

"Okay. Oh my goodness! What happened to your eye?" she asked, starting to come further into the room.

Amelia waved her off, stopping her from entering. "Don't worry about it. It looks worse than it is, Miss Filia."

"Who did that to you?"

"Oh, it was a misunderstanding. It's a long story."

Filia didn't appear convinced, but she didn't ask any more questions. "If you say so… Are you two hungry? I met Miss Lina and Mister Gourry for dinner and I ordered a couple of pulled-pork sandwiches. They told me that you got into a fight with your family and that you'll be staying here for a while. Did you want me to set up the air mattress in the living room, Val?"

"Why?" he asked stupidly.

"Where do you _think_ she's going to sleep?" Filia suddenly transformed into an imposing figure, ready to dole out her own set of house rules.

Val immediately backpedaled. "Oh, I was thinking she could sleep in my room, and I was going to sleep out on the couch. So there's no need to inflate the mattress."

Filia eyed him suspiciously, but left it at that. "Well, Mom and Dad will be home on Wednesday, so if you're planning on staying after that, it will be their say," she told Amelia.

"Thank you, Miss Filia. So the family reunion was this week?" she asked, trying to make pleasantries.

It seemed to do the trick. "Yeah, they wanted us to come too, but I'm still too busy at work. Besides, I'm trying to see if I can get some days off so we can join you skiing like you wanted."

"We?" Val asked, suddenly suspicious as well. "I know that _I've _already got time off to go. Who are you referring to?"

Diverting another potential confrontation, Amelia interrupted, "Well, I just wanted to make sure you'd both be able to go. Anyway, how _is_ your family? How's the Mayor, too?"

"Mom and Dad are great. I think this was the first vacation Grandpa has taken in a long time. He really wanted me and Val to come."

Val frowned. "Your grandfather's nice and all, Fil, but I still don't feel comfortable around him. He's too… harsh, if you know what I mean."

"Even though he gave you those awards and helped you clean up the city?"

"He calls me 'boy' all the time, like I don't have a name."

"You're just being too sensitive. Anyway, dinner will be in the kitchen if you're interested."

She began to leave when Amelia stopped her. "Miss Filia, are you working on Monday?"

"In the evening, why?"

"Do you think you can bring me to see Mister Xelloss after school? My last class finishes only a half hour after yours…"

"Xelloss?" she asked, her curiosity peaked. "Why do you need to see him?"

"It's…" Amelia glanced at her and then at Val. "It's something to do with my ex-boyfriend. I just need to ask him some questions."

"Your ex? What does Xelloss have to do…?" She suddenly frowned. "He didn't do something to him, did he?" She rightly took Amelia's silence as confirmation. It suddenly sounded as if she was growling. "Oh, that manipulating, conniving…"

Amelia sought to calm her down. "Miss Filia, I'm not sure if he had anything to do with it, but it's possible. That's why I just want to ask him some questions. Please don't say anything to him until then. He _could_ be innocent, and to accuse him wrongly would be unjust." Something about that struck a chord within her, and she unexpectedly felt extremely guilty.

Her companions regarded her incredulously, but it was Filia who answered her. "Yes, Amelia. I'll give you a ride to his office on Monday. Then he can tell us _both_ if he's been doing anything… unjust." Silently fuming, she stalked out the door and went to her room.

Once the door was closed, Amelia glanced at Val. He was staring at the floor, his face unreadable. What had she done? Their relationship had always been good, without any of this. Now, she had just tried to use Val to forget about her troubles… to forget about Zelgadiss. A sharp pain lanced through her temple, and her eye twitched. Trying not to let on that anything was amiss, she tilted her head to help alleviate the pain.

"Amelia," Val whispered hoarsely. He was still staring at the floor. "We have to talk."

"I know," she sighed.

_You're always talking about justice and right and wrong. You know that it's wrong to use him like that._

"I know," she repeated. What she did went against everything she believed in, yet a part of her didn't want to care. She was tired of being 'Little Miss Perfect,' the girl who never did anything wrong, who always did the right thing, no matter what the cost. She wanted to be selfish for once…

_But at the cost of a friendship? Despite what happened, you're still in love with…_

"This wasn't about your family keeping a secret from you, was it?" he asked, his voice lifeless.

"Yes, it was." _But not as much as it was about Zelgadiss…_

"You know it was to keep you safe, Amelia."

"So? They still lied to me."

He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "You also lied."

"No, I didn't."

"You lied to keep me safe, too. I _remember_."

"What?" Her heart clenched, and she worried about what exactly it was that he remembered.

"The beach, Amelia. I know what I did to you."

Her arms went numb. There was no way he could have recalled that! She tried to redirect his focus. "But I didn't lie about that. The police saw that you were fighting all of us, me, Miss Lina and Miss Filia…"

"I'm talking about _before_ that. When I almost… when I almost ra…"

"Stop it!" she said, squeezing her eyes shut and covering her ears with her hands.

No! If he didn't know about it, he was safe. _She_ was safe. No one knew about it. No one _had_ to know about it. She would never have to explain to him how much he frightened her that night, and she would never have to admit to herself that a part of her still was.

"Amelia," he said, gently prying her hands from her ears. He had moved across the bed and was kneeling before her. There was so much pain in his eyes. "I know what I did to you…"

"You didn't do anything, Val," she pleaded, but he kept talking.

"…and I know that you never told the police or anyone what happened. You lied to them by keeping the truth inside. You don't understand how much that means to me, but it's torn me apart all these years."

"Please don't…"

"I tried to _rape_ you." The words were silent, but they hung heavily between them. Tears began to fall from his eyes. His agony touched her, and she reached out to embrace him.

"I never blamed you. You didn't know what you were doing, Val. You weren't yourself."

He released her and looked into her eyes. "I know. But it doesn't erase what I did. I still hurt you, all because I couldn't handle seeing you with anyone but me. I screwed it all up and pushed you away."

"But I never left you."

"You found someone else."

"Because…"

"Because you were afraid?"

_NO!_

She shook her head violently, not caring about her aching head. "Because I didn't want to believe that _I_ was the cause of what happened. When you got better and saw me with Ken, you were happy for me."

"I wanted you to be happy after what I did to you."

She stared at her hands, trying to soak it all in. "I didn't know. I thought that something else was the problem, and it was easier to think that it wasn't me that was the trigger. It's still easier to think that it wasn't me."

"You didn't know how much I cared about you?"

"I knew. At least, I thought I knew. But you always treated me like a buddy, like Anderson after we got to know each other. I didn't think you'd ever see me the way I wanted you to see me."

"The way you _wanted_…?" His voice cracked.

She regarded him sadly, trying but failing to disguise the anguish in her voice. "I loved you then, Val. If you had asked me, or if I had enough courage to ask you…"

"Oh god, Amelia."

"We both messed up, Val. We passed each other without even knowing."

He sat back and covered his face with his hands. "And we can't go back or forward, can we?" The light of hope that she had seen earlier was gone. There was nothing for them now, despite what they had shared earlier. "You're in love with him, aren't you? Even though something happened, you're still in love with him."

"How do you know?"

"Because you have a bigger heart than anyone around, and I know that you'll forgive him eventually. You've already forgiven your family, haven't you?"

He tweaked her nose, and she smiled at him. He was one of the most amazing people she had ever met, and she loved him. She would always love him, but she could never again be _in_ love with him. As he had put it, they couldn't go back, and they couldn't go forward. Today, right now, was all they had.

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you, Amelia, more than you'll ever know. But I'd rather see you happy than make a mistake which you'll regret for the rest of your life. I don't want to ever be a 'regret' to you."

"I've never regretted you, Val. I treasure every moment that we've spent together, the good, and the bad. Our experiences make us who we are today, and I'll always treasure our friendship." She lightly touched his cheek, tracing the scars lightly. "I want you to be happy, too. Promise me that you'll find someone who can make you happy?"

"Only if you promise me a couple of things."

"One promise for two?"

"You're getting the easy end of the bargain, if you ask me. You're a hard act to follow." She blushed, but nodded in agreement. "Don't give up. You're better than that, right? He'll come around in time. And as for me," he leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips, lingering only a moment before pulling away. "Call me 'Val' from now on. I've always thought the 'Mister' was weird after the stuff we've been through. I like being special to you."

She hugged him then, treasuring their friendship and their closeness above all the negative. He was an amazing person.

"You are, and you always will be, Val."

* * *

A/N: Hi, all! It's been a long time, but I hope it was worth the wait! I also hope this chapter answered a few questions for some of you, as well as raised a few more. Red herrings aside, the plot will continue to thicken in chapters to come. I do have a couple of WML chapters to come to explain a couple of the relationship changes that have occurred in this chapter (for those intrepid L/G fans out there!) so be on the lookout for that. The chapters will unfortunately still take time in coming, but I will still try my best to get it out soon (soon being a relative term, of course). Thank you everyone who's read and reviewed. You guys are the best! (By the way, as many of you have noticed, I still have not given up on my Western sequel, but that shall be further down the road... _winks_) 

This chapter is dedicated to everyone whose ship has been passed in the day or the night.

Special thanks to those who've reviewed: **Ichiban Victory** (I loved that argument so much that I had to pay it homage. I am a sub fan, myself - no one can beat Megumi and Hikaru! - , but when I heard Crispin Freeman's voice, I was hooked. As for the dream sequences, I wanted to try something new, and reaction to it was mostly positive, but I wanted to take a chance. Zel's got some serious issues, and he's got to deal with them before he can move on. Let's hope he does. _Hugs_), **e-chan 16** (My sentiments, exactly! _Grins_), **pogo** (Hey! Glad to hear from you! It's fun playing with all the characters, but after a while, they need to advance in their relationships. Especially for L/G. The next chapter of WML will focus on them, and they will begin to have more to do with the upcoming chapters of L&L, so I hope that will relieve your cough! _Winks_), **Kaeru Shisho** (I know. It's taken me this long just to write a chapter that I haven't read anything. I feel so out of the loop… _sigh_ Well, Zel's actions have caused a whole load of stuff to happen, not all of it good, and everyone else is left to pick up the pieces. He's wallowing in his misery and not acting upon his instincts, and that's only going to serve to bury him even more. He's got some real issues he's got to deal with, but he's not quite willing to yet. He'll have a couple of confrontations in the next chapter, but with a couple of completely different people, that will hopefully push him in the right direction. _Hugs_), **Muffles** (Wow, I guess great minds think alike, huh? _winks _I'm really glad that you like this fic, and I hope I never fall into the awful/Mary-Sue genre. I hope you enjoyed this one!), **Lina Gabriev** (Thanks! I really wanted to work the saying into the story somewhere, and when I was writing that part, it just fit! _grins_ I'm glad you enjoyed!), **Stara Maijka** (Thanks so much! Gourry's got an important role in the next chapter – I'm sure you can figure out what it will be. _winks_ Zel's probably the only one who notices that there's more to the Dilgear thing than what they've seen, but he's so deep in his own self-loathing that even though he's made the leap of understanding, he's still only seeing it as how it affects him. He's got to snap out of it if he's going to be of any use to anyone), **Aisha C** (Angsty boys will be angsty boys… Yeah, Zel's got a big hangup with Eris and Rezo. He needs to get over that, and fast…), **jesphoenix05** (Yeah, he needs a good smack on the head, but with a guy made out of stone, it probably wouldn't have worked anyway… Hope you enjoyed this one. Who's your vote for the broody boy of the week, Zel or Val? _grins_ You know the SG reference was for you anyway! _winks_), **Xeria Malstrum** (I had that episode on – subtitled – and kept pausing and rewinding, just so I could type it out. Drove my husband crazy. I guess if I use the scene the way it played out in the anime, I want to use the script almost exactly as well – a hang-up, I guess. And just when things are going good, a bomb is dropped, and everyone is left to deal with the fallout. I hope you aren't angry with me for finally revealing the green-eyed guy as a red herring – though he will pop up again later – but I hope the revelation about Naga's file will soften the blow! All will soon be revealed… _hugs_), **Hoshi-chan1 **(Oh no! I hope I didn't do it to you again! Of course, it's never easy, is it? Well, our two main characters had some pretty big hurdles to overcome before they can move on… We'll see how they progress.)

Now, you know what to do. Click the button!


	29. Coming to Terms

Disclaimer: Slayers, Fruits Basket, and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 29**

_**Coming to Terms**_

"Are you going to be okay?" Val asked her as she inspected her motorcycle.

Amelia had hardly gotten any sleep that night, but not for the reason of the previous night when she had agonized over her feelings for Zelgadiss. Her near-catastrophic encounter with Val had confused her and filled her with an immense amount of guilt. She cared deeply about him, and knew that she always would, but she had _used_ him to try to forget about Zelgadiss. Although they had worked things out between them, she still felt horrible about it.

They had spoken for a couple of hours after eating dinner, just talking about everything and nothing, and also speculating about whether or not Filia suspected if there was anything going on between them. Val was certain she was acting strangely, and wanted to mess with her mind, but Amelia didn't want to have anything to do with it. After all, if they played at being a couple, who knew how far it would go? She didn't want to do anything else that was stupid. She was in a fragile enough state as it was.

And now, though they had come to an understanding about their relationship, the thought of him leaving her alone to return home was distressing.

She smiled, despite the way she felt. "I guess I'll find out, huh? I can't say that I don't feel like crap, but life goes on. I've got some things to take care of before I go home, but I know that I'll be okay. Eventually."

His eyes were drawn to the cloud-streaked sky. His hair was unbound, and it blew gently around his scarred face. He seemed so wistful, and for a moment, Amelia wondered if _he_ would be okay. She hoped that he would be able to find someone who could make him happy. He had had too much sadness in his young life.

But then again, so had she.

"Tomorrow's another day, right?" he asked, looking down upon her with a serene smile.

This time, her heart felt light when she returned his smile. "There's always a tomorrow."

She hugged him briefly before they went their separate ways. She turned around to watch him leave, and allowed herself a moment to grieve for what could have been. If circumstances had been different…

With a sigh, Amelia rode back up along the coast, around the back side of the hill, passing the turn that would lead up to her house and continuing on along the beach. Before long, she found herself pulling to a stop before a familiar Craftsman-style house with a limousine and a Mustang parked in the driveway.

With a sigh, she decided to continue her routine of checking on his house. Regardless of how she felt (and she still wasn't sure exactly what that was), she had a self-imposed duty to perform. She opened his door and picked up his mail. Closing the door behind her, she carefully sorted out the bills and letters and junk while she walked though the house. She wandered into his office and arranged his mail on his desk, along with the past three weeks worth of paperwork. Her fingers lingered on the leather desk chair, her heart aching dreadfully at the thought of not seeing him again.

Zelgadiss.

But why shouldn't she see him? He never said anything about not wanting to see her after all. It was only her anger which determined that. After she apologized to her father and sister, then she would apologize to him…

Wait a minute! Why should _she_ apologize to him? Sure, she was going to say sorry to her family; she blew up at them when she shouldn't have. No. _He_ needed to apologize to _her_! And when he did, then hopefully they would be able to start over.

Amelia wanted to smile, feeling the self-righteousness of her situation, but she didn't. Staying angry with someone just wasn't part of her personality or her forgiving nature, even though she felt indignant at his treatment of her feelings. Even if everything he said was true, that still didn't excuse the way he dismissed her and her emotions.

_Nothing worthwhile happened in Atlas City_.

She knew that was a lie. He had held her hand, had almost kissed her, and that wasn't worthwhile? Well, maybe if she knew that he was a gigolo or something, then she'd believe his words, but she knew him. The same way that she knew that he spends most of his free time reading, or that he only drinks espresso the afternoons, or that he really wants to be a detective like his father was, or that he is a light sleeper, or that he can play anything from _Canon_ to _Stairway to Heaven_ on his guitar, or that he's really very shy when it comes to the topic of romance.

She sighed.

But even with all that she knew about him, she still didn't know enough. She had been able to slip past the chinks in his armor to catch a glimpse of his real self, yet he had never been truly open with her the way she was with him. He was always so guarded.

"Well, moping about his house isn't going to make anything happen," she decided.

She straightened a stack of magazines that didn't need to be straightened, and wiped off the table that was free of dust, before she finally ran out of things that she could take care of. She had taken the liberty of cleaning out the refrigerator the week before, throwing away the moldy cold cuts and cheese and the sour milk, and had even paid the gardeners to come by twice a month out of her own pocket, but now, just doing the most minimal of chores, she felt as if she were intruding in on his personal space. Deciding that she had better leave well enough alone, she finally stepped out of the house and locked the door behind her.

She had barely gotten to the sidewalk when someone coughed behind her.

"Ahem. Excuse me."

Amelia whirled around, on edge at the fact that a stranger addressed her at a place where no one knew she should even be. It was a young woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties, with short black hair, shorter than her own, she noticed, and brown eyes. She looked like she could have stepped right out of a Joan Jett video, with a short black denim skirt and a black halter top, black boots and spiked wristbands.

"Do you know the man that lives here?" the woman asked with a smile.

"Yes. Do you?" Amelia was surprised at how that came out. She almost covered her mouth in embarrassment.

The woman smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Well, I did. You wouldn't happen to be Amelia, would you?"

Her eyes narrowed, despite her best efforts to keep her face neutral. Amelia subconsciously relaxed her body and widened her stance. "Depends on who's looking," she said, her voice dropping. If this was one of those people who were threatening her family, then she'd better be ready to fight it out.

To her surprise, though, the woman stuck out her hand. "My name is Eris. Eris Vruumugun. I'm a good friend of your sister."

"Really? Then why don't I remember her ever mentioning you?" Amelia kept her hand where it was.

"Just her way, I guess." Eris shrugged and dropped her hand. "If you don't believe me, you can always call her. But I didn't want to talk with you about her. I wanted to talk with you about Zelgadiss."

"Mister Zelgadiss? Why, is something wrong? Is he okay?"

Eris didn't seem to notice her distress. "As far as I could tell. When I went to visit him the other day, he was alright until…" She grimaced. "Well, he and I aren't on very good terms anymore. He was very upset, and he kept yelling out your name."

Amelia began to put the pieces together. "You're his old girlfriend, aren't you?"

To her credit, the woman actually blushed. "Yes, well, we dated a while back, but… things didn't exactly work out. We hadn't seen or talked to each other in about three years. Despite the fact that he kicked us out of his hospital room on Friday, I'm actually kind of glad that we went, if just to know that he's got someone now that he can depend on."

Friday… That was the day that he told her the truth… after he had pulled his stitches when he went ballistic… and all after seeing his ex. Everything had been fine up until then. Was _she_ the reason he suddenly changed? Seeing his ex-girlfriend dredged up his old feelings for her?

"He doesn't depend on me," Amelia muttered, feeling stupid.

"Didn't seem like it to me. I don't think I've ever seen him smile the way he did when he thought that _you_ were there. And he kept on calling for you like you were the only thing that mattered in the world to him." Eris smiled. "I have to admit, I'm kind of jealous."

Amelia's jaw dropped. "Jealous?"

She looked away in the direction of the beach. "Yeah. I really wanted him to find someone, but I didn't think he'd care for anyone else more than he did for me. Selfish and stupid, huh?"

"Yeah," she found herself agreeing. "But you shouldn't hold him back, Miss Eris. If he's moved on, then you should leave him alone. I don't mean to pry in a relationship that has nothing to do with me, but if you ask me, that was pretty thoughtless of you to see him without any regard for how he'd react when he saw you. He pulled out his IV's and opened several stitches. I don't know what was said or done, but all I know is that he was very angry. Maybe you should have gone through an intermediary first, like my sister, to see how he felt before you re-entered his life."

"I know. I guess I deserved that. When I heard that he'd been shot, we just had to make sure he was okay."

"'We?'"

Eris seemed surprised, but she tried to play it off. "Oh. Well, Zelgadiss' grandfather, Rezo. He insisted on coming right away, but I thought it would be a bad idea. Of course, with Thanksgiving and family and all…"

"Oh," was all Amelia said in reply, though her mind was filing the information away for future review.

"So," Eris continued seriously, "I'm glad that I was able to talk with you. I was really worried about Zelgadiss, but I see I have no reason to be. I can see he's in good hands. He's a trustworthy police officer, and an honorable man, Amelia. You should trust his instincts when it comes to the cases he's been assigned."

Eris reached out and lightly touched the bracelet on Amelia's wrist, and Amelia couldn't do anything but shake the woman's hand. And just like that, Eris smiled, turned around and walked down the street, to a large black Mercedes parked several houses down. Amelia frowned as she fiddled with the bracelet that her mother had given her.

What the heck was that all about?

* * *

Zelgadiss sat up in bed, flipping through the pages of an old magazine, _Creative Crafting_, for lack of anything better to do. An up-to-date hospital like this one didn't even have current issues of anything remotely interesting, and how to crochet a tea cozy wasn't exactly what was on his mind. 

He had refused his pain medication when the nurse tried to administer it to him, and he was currently waiting for the doctor to arrive so he could explain why he didn't want to be sedated. A drop of sweat rolled down his temple, and his eyes were having trouble focusing on the picture of the pink and white tea set on the page before him, but he grit his teeth and bore the pain.

He needed to have a clear mind if he was going to figure out what was really going on with the Seyruun case.

It had occurred to him again after Lina had left last night, that there had to be more to the case than something so simple as a man coming back from the dead to steal Amelia's jewelry. What he really needed was to get back to the station so he could go over all the evidence for himself. He had a sinking suspicion that Amelia… that the _Seyruun's_ were still in danger.

His chest and his stomach were on fire, and he silently wished that he hadn't pulled his stitches the other night. He ached to get out of this damned bed and back in action, but he knew that the doctors wouldn't allow it if they believed that he was going to hurt himself trying. He needed to play along just long enough to get discharged and into a radical rehabilitation schedule. He wanted to be as near to one hundred percent as soon as possible.

"Mister Greywords?"

He looked up to see a young doctor standing in the doorway. He was tall and good-looking (if the whispering and blushing nurses in the background were any indication), and one of his eyes was hidden behind the fall of his long black bangs.

"Yes? Where's Doctor Fairchild?"

The doctor entered the room, and glanced down at the chart in his hands. He pulled up one of the chairs and sat down, looking at his patient with a critical eye.

"I'm Doctor Hatori Sohma. Doctor Fairchild has been kind enough to allow me to see his patients this week and next while he's attending a conference in Zephilia. I'm using this time as part of my continuing education. I've been the full-time doctor for the Sohma Family for the past seven years, and as such, have treated almost everything imaginable, so I'm more than qualified to handle his patients. Now it says here that you've refused your pain medication. I can tell that you're reconsidering that decision now. What's your pain level currently?"

Zelgadiss frowned, but he admired the fact that the man was able to put a patient in his place. "Eight, but I can handle it."

"I'm sure you can, but that's not the reason we want to get you lower. Your body is still going through the stresses of the trauma that you've experienced, but when you're at level seven or higher for an extended period of time, you're actually working against yourself. Your latest blood pressure readings and heart rate are elevated. I'm sure you haven't gotten much rest since you refused your morning dose?"

"Even if I was tired, I don't think I could rest. I'd rather be in pain than be incoherent…"

The doctor cut him off. "Needless to say, your body is still healing, and it has a lot of healing to go. You need to understand that you've got limits. Don't push yourself back into the grave that you've barely crawled out of."

"Doctor Sohma," Zelgadiss said, covering his face with his hand. "You don't understand. I've been in the hospital more times than I care for, but I need to be up and around as soon as I can, and if that means radical rehab, then I'm ready for it. I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it could be a matter of life or death."

He sighed.

"Well, from what I can tell from your chart, you've got determination. Heart stopped twice, once on the scene, once in the ER. Punctured lung. Five transfusions." He looked up from the chart. "By all accounts, you should probably be dead, but you've obviously got something to live for, so whatever that is, you'd better keep it close. I'll take you off of morphine, and prescribe vicodin. It probably won't knock out the pain as well as the morphine, but it will take the edge off. You'll probably get sleepy and I suggest the rest, but it won't knock you out like the dosage of morphine we had you on. I'll monitor your progress throughout the week, and if you're responding well to the dosage, I'll continue to wean you off."

He stood and nodded at him.

"Use your time to concentrate on healing, Mister Greywords. If you improve to my standards, I can get you out of the hospital at the earliest by the middle of next week. From there, I can refer you to a colleague of mine who specializes in just what you're looking for. He doesn't come cheap, and he can be a harsh task-master, but we'll have to see first how you're coming along."

"Thank you, Doctor," Zelgadiss said, feeling the slightest bit better. This was the first doctor who had ever really _listened_ to what he had to say for a change. Doctor Sohma nodded to him and patted him on the arm before leaving. Zel could hear him instruct one of the nurses to give him the new medication, and he sighed.

Now if there were only something he could take for the ache in his chest that had nothing to do with the bullet wounds.

* * *

"Daddy, I'm so sorry I yelled at you like that," Amelia bawled into her father's chest. 

She had returned home, and immediately had sought out her father. She found him in his study, with dark circles beneath his eyes and a haggard look about him. The last time she had seen him like that was when he had found out about her drinking problem.

Philionel wrapped Amelia in his embrace and held her tightly, as if she would disappear if he let go.

"_I'm_ sorry, Amelia. I should never have kept the truth from you. Of all people, I should have realized how wrong it was. You were right. I could have put you in danger by keeping you ignorant. It was a foolish decision, and I deserved everything you said to me…"

"No, Daddy! No! I take it all back. I know you were only doing it to protect me. I know that sometimes you can't tell me everything, so I should have just accepted it. You were looking out for my best interests, and that's what matters. I don't care about any of that. I'm just glad that you and Gracia are okay."

She let him go, but held tight to his hand. "Speaking of Gracia, where is she?"

"She left, Amelia," he said solemnly, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "She went back to Atlas City last night."

"She… left?"

"I tried to make her stay, but she insisted on leaving. She blames herself for everything that happened, and she wouldn't listen to a word I said…"

"Excuse me, Daddy. I'm going to check on something."

Amelia dashed out of the room, but instead of returning to the apartment above the garage, she rushed upstairs, surprisingly sure-footed, taking the steps two at a time. She opened the door to her sister's room, and sure enough, the room was empty – no suitcase, no clothes strewn about, no Gracia. Holding back the urge to pick up the phone and yell at her sister for leaving her again, Amelia instead found herself crossing the hallway and opening the door to her room.

On the surface, it appeared the way it did a month ago, except that the carpet was lighter, her bedding was new, and several of her photographs on the nightstand were now in different frames. Taking a hesitant step into the room, she willed her heart to calm itself, to slow its frantic beating. Her mind, though, began to remember scenes and events that she had tried to forget for the past ten years.

Amelia collapsed to her knees, squeezing her eyes shut, but all she could do was attempt to put it behind her yet again.

_Forget._

The musty smell of the carpet under the desk.

_Forget._

The voices raised in anger and then hushed with a threat.

_Forget._

Five muffled pops.

_Forget._

Slick and red, soaking the carpet under the desk…

_Forget…_

Amelia opened her eyes. She was sitting on the floor with her head resting against the side of her bed. How long had she been sitting there?

Clenching her hand, she finally decided to do something she had been trying to avoid for several days. She wasn't going to let anything get the better of her, even her own fears. Rising to her feet, she surveyed her room, taking note of the subtle differences of the scene, and trying to figure out how she happened to fill up the apartment with so much stuff.

Then her eyes caught the note on her pillow. Sitting down on her bed, she picked up the envelope and withdrew the letter, written in familiar flowing handwriting.

_Dear Tes,_

_I can't tell you how sorry I am about everything that happened. It looks like I'm 'par for the course' or 'batting a thousand' (or any of those other silly terms that you like to use) when it comes to the way I deal with you. I'm a failure as a person, but more importantly, I'm a failure as a sister.  
__I only thought that Daddy and I were being targeted since we were the only ones who got those letters, so I convinced him to keep you out of the loop. You were graduating and getting ready for all your tests to get into college. I didn't want to burden you with this weird thing. If it was some kook who had it in for me, then it was my problem. If it was some kook who had it in for Daddy, then it was his problem. I see now that's not the case. If there was someone who had it in for you, it wouldn't be just your problem. It would be mine and Daddy's, too. Now I understand what you were talking about. It's a family problem, and we should have dealt with it as a family.  
__Don't be angry with Daddy. It was my idea in the first place to keep the truth from you. I'm so sorry for lying to you. I hope you'll forgive me - I can't even remember the last time you were that angry with me. I'm also sorry for leaving you. You know that I don't deal well with conflict or trouble. I'm not making excuses… well, I guess I am. If you ever decide to forgive me, then please give me a call. I know I don't deserve it._

_I love you very much, Tes.  
__Gracia_

Amelia thought that she had used up her tears, but a fresh new torrent was now gushing forth as she lay curled up on her bed crying into her pillow. Her sister never signed her real name. She always used her nickname, "because 'Naga' is more fun-loving and spontaneous!" or so she said. For her to sign as 'Gracia', it meant that she was very serious.

Drying her eyes, she picked up the phone and called her sister. They spent the next half-hour on the phone, each trying to apologize to the other. Soon enough, Amelia's heart was much lighter, and Naga was laughing in her signature grating way. By the time they hung up, Amelia almost felt like her old self again.

Maybe things could get back to normal after all.

At least, that's what she thought when she went in to work later that afternoon. She arrived early, glad that she had worked the morning shift on Friday and had Saturday off. No one knew of the emotional rollercoaster that she had been on over the weekend. She covered up her black eye with makeup, and though her eyes were still puffy from crying so much, she explained to everyone that she had stayed up late the previous two nights (without disclosing much more), and no one bothered to ask much more.

She was standing in line at the café when she noticed something very odd. Lina had been working as cashier, but when Amelia smiled at her, she ignored her and continued to help the guests. Even stranger, when Amelia was second in line, Lina exchanged places with the other employee, and after washing up, began to make the drinks. Now she couldn't even say 'hi' unless she went behind the counter.

Downing her iced chai latte, she went into the back room to put away her things and don her apron. She walked back out onto the floor and stopped short when she reached the top of the escalator. The Children's section looked like a bomb or a tornado hit it. Books were strewn everywhere, on the floor or across the display stands, but most of them were stacked in a huge pile on the tiny reading table. With a smile, Amelia welcomed the challenge, and was even successful in engaging tiny helpers to return books where they belonged.

Working with the children helped to raise her spirits, and before long, the smile on her face was genuine. Story time came and went, and the dozens of children who listened to or read along with her willingly helped her to finish straightening up the Children's section.

"You seem to be in good spirits after all that crap this weekend," a voice muttered behind her when the crowds finally thinned out.

Amelia turned around and regarded her friend. "I worked out a lot of stuff, Miss Lina," she explained. "I'm sorry for putting you in that position. I didn't think Gracia would call you…"

"And why shouldn't she? Don't you think I'd be worried about you, too? You disappear and don't even call me. Best friends. Ha!"

Turning on her heel, Lina stormed away, but Amelia had seen _that_ look in her eyes. She had really wanted to hit Amelia, or at the very least, put her in some painful hold in order to punish her. It was going to be a long day if Lina was mad at her. It was a good thing Amelia knew the way to Lina's heart.

"Want to go to Tank's for dinner? My treat," she said to her before she could retreat to the kitchen.

Lina appeared as if she would outright refuse, but after a second, she nodded her head once. "My dinner break is six o'clock."

When dinnertime rolled around, Amelia and Lina walked over to the buffet in silence, and once they began eating, there really wasn't much time for talking. So, Amelia cut her meal short while Lina was still on her third plate of food.

"I didn't call you because you're_ his_ friend too, Miss Lina." Her friend looked up, but continued to eat. "It was difficult enough for me to try to figure out what I was feeling, between finding out that my family kept something as huge as somebody threatening the family and finding out that they hired Mister Zelgadiss to protect me and finding out that he lied to me about so many things… I didn't want to tell you about it. I was afraid you would blow it off and tell me to go back and talk to him. That was the _last_ thing I wanted to do…"

"Well, you're right about that. I probably would have told you to talk to him, but if you even _thought_ that I would choose his side over yours, you're nuts. I _still_ think you should talk to him, but that's up to you." She wiped her mouth. "I saw him last night."

Amelia took the bait. "How… how is he doing?"

"He's being a jerk again. Man, when you two were together…"

"We were never together."

"…he finally came out of his prickly shell and began to interact with people like a normal human being. Now he's back to his old sour self." She flicked a stray piece of rice across the table.

"Maybe it's because of his feelings for his old girlfriend."

"What?"

"Miss Eris visited him. I think that's why…"

"How do you know that?"

"I met her today. She was outside Mister Zelgadiss' house, and we talked briefly."

"Wow, the bitch really doesn't know when to let up," she muttered under her breath, but Amelia caught what she had said.

"What do you mean?"

"How do you think Zel's going to react if he finds out that you talked with her? He thinks that she's evil, and if you interacted with her, then it's possible that she's rubbed some of her evil off on you."

"Evil? That's ridiculous!"

"Hey, you weren't there when he was recovering in the hospital after they broke up…" She caught herself before she said any more.

"Hospital? What happened? Why was he in the hospital?"

Lina scratched her cheek. "Oh. I figured he would have told you by now. Look, I can't really say. That's his story to tell, Amelia."

She rested her chin in her hand and stared at the bubbles in her soda. "Oh well. He didn't tell me, and I'm probably never going to hear it anyway."

"Hey, that doesn't sound like you. What happened to your 'never give up' attitude?"

She sighed. "If I just knew for certain that he even felt just the tiniest bit of romantic attachment to me, then I'd give it all I've got. I _thought_ I knew, but now…"

Lina then administered her own brand of 'justice' – a rap to the top of Amelia's head.

_Whack!_

"Ow! Miss Liiiina!" Amelia whined, clutching her head with both hands.

"That's for descending into the 'depths of despair,'" she cackled in a scratchy voice. "You've spent too much time yelling at people and wallowing in your own guilt and self-pity. Somebody needed to knock some sense into you." She winked and held up her forefinger. "Cheer up. You need to feel better about yourself. There are tons of guys out there, you know? Fish in the sea and all…"

"I know." She swirled her glass of soda. Suddenly switching topics, she mentioned, "Oh, I'm going to move back into my room."

Lina actually stopped eating and stared at her. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I don't know," she said truthfully. "But I can't very well keep living the way that I am."

"Well, what about moving out with me? Have you thought about it? Filia said that she'd be interested in it next term. That's when my mom and dad are selling the house and moving back to Zephilia."

"Yeah, that would be great! Oh, but I'll have to talk with Daddy about it, though. I'm putting all my money into my car right now, and he's helping me pay for part of it, too. I don't know if I can afford to move in with you just yet."

"Well, it's just a thought."

"A great one," Amelia agreed. "Until then, I've got to settle for moving back into my room." She swirled her straw around her cup. "I just hope I don't have anymore nightmares again."

Lina regarded her friend with concern. "It's been hard for you, hasn't it?"

Amelia flashed her a sad little smile. "I'm getting by."

"Have you ever talked to anyone about it? Other than police and shrinks, I mean."

She shook her head. "That's not the type of subject that usually comes up in conversation, Miss Lina."

"Well, you told me once that talking about your problems is sometimes the easiest way of dealing with them."

Amelia grimaced. "Why do people keep pushing my own words back at me?"

"Maybe it's because you make a lot of sense… sometimes."

Lina winked at her, and Amelia laughed. "We'd better get back before Mister Jack sends someone out to find us."

"Hey, Amelia. Do you want me to come over to help you move your stuff back to your room?"

Amelia smiled, but this time, it was genuine and heartfelt. She gave her friend a big Seyruun hug. "Of course. Thank you, Miss Lina!"

* * *

"I still don't know why you wanted me to drive you here, Miss Amelia," Filia commented when she pulled into a parking space in the garage beneath the high rise building that housed Xelloss' offices. She had waited patiently for Amelia to get out of class and had driven them the short distance downtown. "You probably would have gotten here faster if you took your motorcycle." 

"I know. But since I don't have an appointment, I'm not sure if he'll even see me, but if you're here, Miss Filia…"

She smirked. "I thought as much."

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner and for using you…"

Filia held up a hand. "Say no more. You're not using me. I want to know what he's doing with his work, and I haven't really had a chance to visit him that often. It will be interesting to see what he says."

"Okay."

Amelia had really only wanted Filia's help getting in to see Xelloss. She had no idea that her friend would end up wanting to listen to her questioning. But since she had asked for the favor in the first place, she couldn't tell her to wait outside while she spoke with Xelloss. It was unfair of her to treat her friend that way. Amelia frowned. She was beginning to hate the way she'd been using and abusing people lately.

_Self-destructive._

They entered the elevator to the lobby, and Amelia meekly followed Filia through the metal detectors to another bank of elevators on the opposite side. There was an information desk nearby, but she continued past it.

"When was the last time you were here?" Amelia asked.

"I came to visit him last month, I think," Filia said, looking up at the numbers above the elevator doors. "I brought him lunch and we ate in his office. He doesn't get out of the office very much. I tried to tell him that it wasn't healthy, but he explained that he was just too busy."

"But not too busy for you?"

Filia snorted. "He'd better not be!"

She grinned, and the elevator finally arrived. The two girls stepped in along with the other passengers. Filia asked for the '20' button to be pressed, and several of the men glanced at them. Rather than being embarrassed or bristling at being stared at, she merely smiled politely and raised her chin slightly.

Amelia watched this transpire in awe. Filia was so confident in herself. Normally, Amelia was as well, but lately, she had doubted her own judgment. She didn't know if she would be able to have such a turbulent relationship as Filia's and Xelloss', or as quiet and comfortable a relationship as Lina's and Gourry's.

"Good afternoon, ladies," the receptionist said brightly when they stepped out of the elevator. She folded her hands before her.

"Hello. We're here to see Mister Metallium."

"Do you have an appointment?"

Filia smiled. "No, but can you please let him know that Miss Ul Copt and Miss Seyruun are here to see him?"

"One moment, please." The receptionist pressed a button on the phone and dialed an extension. Speaking into her headset, she explained to the person on the other end who was waiting. Finally, she looked up at the girls. "If you would just wait here, someone will be up to show you to his office."

"Thank you," they said in unison. Before either could take a seat, though, a young girl walked out from the back offices. Her youthful features and pig-tailed pink hair seemed extremely out of place in such a distinguished and up-scale firm.

"Hello, Miss Ul Copt. How are you today?" the girl asked in a high voice. "Oh, and you brought a friend, too. Hello there! I'm Kira! I'm Mister Metallium's personal secretary. If you would follow me… Oh, wait. That was silly of me. Here I am talking away at you and I don't even know your name! May I ask what your name is? That way, when I ramble on like I tend to do, I'll know what to call you. Oh, that sounded rude, didn't it? I'm sorry! Let's start over again, shall we? Hi, I'm Kira. What's your name?"

Amelia blinked. _And here I thought that **I **had too much energy…_

"I'm Amelia Seyruun," she offered with a smile.

"Nice to meet you… Miss Seyruun. Seyruun… That sounds so familiar." She began muttering to herself and biting her lip in concentration. "Now, I think I saw that name on a receipt a few months ago or something. No, I know what it was! That was the name for the corsage and the necklace… oh!" The girl stopped and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh! Um, Miss Ul Copt, I just remembered that Mister Metallium is going to have a meeting soon."

Filia looked sharply at her. "What do you mean? The receptionist just said..."

"Yes, but I don't think he remembered that he had it. You know how busy he is with his workload…"

"Well, we're already here," Filia declared, and Amelia noticed that they were only ten feet away from a closed door with a plaque that read 'Xelloss Metallium, Esq.'

Kira was now backing away from the women towards the door. "Please, if you'll just wait here, I'll let him know…"

The door opened just then, and poor Kira looked like she was about to pass out. Amelia had an idea about what she was so wound up about. She was sure that Kira knew about the fact that Xelloss had brought her to the Prom and had given her a necklace, and she certainly knew that he and Filia were now a couple. The girl was probably worried that her boss had been caught two-timing.

All of which Xelloss probably realized as well, for he patted Kira on the head and whispered something reassuring to her before showing them into his office. Filia, whether she figured out Kira's predicament or not, ended any doubts by giving Xelloss a quick peck on the cheek as she passed him on the way into his office. Kira returned meekly to her desk, appearing confused and exhausted.

"Well, well," Xelloss began as he took his seat behind his desk in the spacious office. Amelia took the chair beside Filia opposite from him. "To what do I owe the pleasure of two beautiful women's company? Did you miss me that much, Filia dear? And just when I was thinking that I missed you already."

Filia smiled, but Amelia coughed, breaking the mood.

"Actually, Mister Xelloss, _I've_ got a few questions that I'd like to ask you about." His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Amelia thought that he was holding his breath. She continued. "Um, it seems that a few months ago, you took on a case that may have resulted in some… unfortunate events."

"Really? Which case might that be?"

"I think you know which one."

"I don't seem to remember anything unfortunate resulting from it."

"How can you not call what you did 'unfortunate'?"

He seemed perplexed. "Miss Amelia, if I recall correctly, nothing came of it after all, and that was the end of it. Your sister is seeing to that."

"My sister?"

Xelloss truly had a poker face: he didn't flinch; his eyes didn't narrow in suspicion; he didn't gasp in surprise. It was his distinct _lack_ of reaction that caught Amelia's attention. She had just touched upon something that he, and apparently her sister, didn't want her to know about.

"You accepted a case from my sister?" she reiterated.

"Yes. Now did you have any more questions, Miss Amelia? I'm not sure how many I can answer due to attorney-client privileges, you see."

"A case about what?"

"I'm sorry. I can't answer that since you obviously weren't a party to it."

"Did it have to do with the threats?"

"I'm not at liberty to say. You may want to ask your sister."

Amelia frowned. She added a new item on her to-do list. "Fair enough," she conceded. "But that actually wasn't what I came here to ask you about."

His eyes darted to Filia and back. Amelia could swear the room had just gotten colder. "Really? Then what was it?"

"My ex-boyfriend, Chad Denton. His family just went bankrupt recently, though their business had been thriving for twenty years. I saw him the day before yesterday. He mentioned that you were the lawyer representing several people who sued Mister Denton and his company."

"Denton… ah, yes. That was 'Mackalvy, Payne, Cortland, et al vs. Denton Plumbing'. A simple open and shut case. They sued him for faulty workmanship. He lost and went bankrupt."

She glanced at Filia, whose face was hidden by her bangs. She returned her gaze to Xelloss. "Chad said that you… threatened him. Did you do this because of _me_?"

He laughed. "Miss Amelia. I mean you no offence, but I hardly think that _you'd_ be enough to warrant me going through all that trouble just to make some boy's family go bankrupt."

"But that was the aim of the lawsuit? To make them go bankrupt?"

"Let me tell you a little something. Every day there are people who put themselves in danger because they're too afraid to speak up or unaware that something could be done when they are victims of faulty workmanship."

He walked over to a large filing cabinet, rifled through it, and withdrew a thick folder. Returning to his desk, he flipped it open and began looking through the paperwork.

"Let's see… Apparently, two of his employees (though they could be considered independent contractors, they were still on his payroll, and therefore employees of 'Denton Plumbing') had their licenses suspended. During the time they were suspended, they still worked on several houses, continuing to work on plumbing, heating, and electrical under _his_ license. Unfortunately, for Mister Denton, there were twenty families that decided to sue them, and his liability insurance didn't nearly cover the damages. That was the end of the case. Since he couldn't afford to pay the balance of the damages, his house was used as collateral. They soon went into foreclosure, and two weeks later, he filed for bankruptcy."

He closed the file. "And here we are. The suit is a matter of public record, Miss Amelia, and completely legitimate. Can you imagine if they had worked on _your_ house and there was some faulty electrical work done that resulted in a fire that destroyed your home? I merely gave these people peace of mind."

Xelloss smiled then, and Amelia felt like hitting him. Though she couldn't argue with his case or his reasoning, he was just so smug and condescending. She opened her mouth to tell him off for being a heartless jerk, but she suddenly stopped.

Filia had shot to her feet.

"You… you…" she began. She was looking down, staring at her feet, but she was also shaking. She suddenly glared up at him. "You filthy piece of trash!"

Shaking with fury, apparently.

"This is _exactly_ the kind of crap you did, just to prove that you could do it! It was a frivolous lawsuit! Were there any fires or problems because of those men's actions? I can tell just by looking at you that there weren't! How many of those people approached you with this case? Or did _you_ approach _them_?"

Xelloss, though, didn't wither under the fires of her wrath. He opened his eyes and stared straight at her.

"My job, Filia dear, is my job. You always knew what I do for a living. In this line of business, no matter who wins, someone always gets hurt. You never seemed to mind before, so long as you didn't know the particulars. In fact, it's really none of your business."

"It… it is my business when someone I know is affected by it."

"So, then, I should carefully consider each case with how it might relate to you before I take it? Of course not. To me, a case is a case is a case. I don't distinguish one from the next, so if you would like me to go easy on _everyone_, then I'd might as well quit, shouldn't I?"

"No, but I…"

"Do I let one case dictate the way I do my job? No. I am a lawyer. I have clientele that I represent, and whoever my client is, I will _always_ do my best to ensure my side's victory."

"But…"

He leaned forward and pointed at her. "You of all people should understand what that means. As a nurse, do you have a say over whether or not you can treat a murderer who is brought into your hospital? You do your job. You save whatever life you can. The only difference between you and me is that _I_ don't get the luxury of having a conscience."

Filia was eerily still. Amelia had watched the interaction with dread. She had hoped that this would not be the outcome, but knew it was inevitable. These two were like fire and ice, and she always worried about the day when one wouldn't be able to forgive the other. She hoped that this would not be that day.

"Miss Filia, we should go," Amelia said, picking up her purse and tugging at Filia's sleeve. "I'm sorry for all this, Mister Xelloss. I just wanted to know. I didn't mean for…"

"It's okay, Miss Amelia," Filia answered instead. "We're leaving."

Amelia followed her friend out of the office, without a backwards glance. They had made it to the elevator before the silence was deafening.

"Oh, Miss Filia, I'm so sorry. I didn't want you and Mister Xelloss to get into a fight over this. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have involved you in my own messes."

The elevator arrived and they stepped into the empty car.

"Don't worry about it," she sniffed. Wiping at her eyes, she turned to her with a smile. "I keep forgetting that he and I are very much alike, though I try not to see it. I keep worrying that he's really worse than he lets on, and deep down inside, I know that he is. I know that he accepts cases when no one else will. I know that he knows more than he lets on. But despite all of that, there's a certain nobility about him that I can't ignore. I still love him, not despite his bad qualities, but because of them."

"Huh?"

"I guess it makes him human. He's got faults, and though I don't always agree with them, it makes him who he is. It makes me realize that it's okay for me to have bad qualities, too. He points them out to me as much as I point them out to him, you see."

"And he's okay with that?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I'll call him later. I'm too upset now to be able to talk to him calmly like I am with you now."

"I just hope I didn't…"

"Stop it. He just needs to think about what he's doing, as well. I know he's not going to change, but as long as he never stops thinking about it."

"How can you be so calm?"

"Years of practice, I think. Dealing with Val growing up and all of his delinquency, I think I just learned to let go of my anger right then and there and try not to let it fester inside of me. I think that's why I get so upset with Xelloss. I always fly off the handle and then calmly reflect on things after the fact, while he is always calm and always in control, but when you least expect it, he can be extremely violent. Opposites attract, huh?"

"I suppose."

"Don't worry about it, Miss Amelia. I'll call him after I've let him stew over it a while. He'll probably get really upset, but I have a feeling that it won't be with me."

Amelia followed her friend back to her car, feeling comforted and confused all the same.

* * *

"I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to wait…" 

Xelloss just strode past the nurse's station and straight into Zelgadiss' room. The divider was drawn closed, but he pulled it open it anyway.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zelgadiss screeched, pulling the thin blanket up over his naked body. The nurse had just finished changing his bed linens and had given him a new hospital gown to change into when Xelloss came barging in. "Close the damn curtain, you stupid bastard!"

The nurse, who was on the far side of the curtain to give her patient some privacy while he dressed, yanked the curtain open and glared at Xelloss. "Sir, you'll have to wait outside while I finish with this patient," she insisted and forcibly removed Xelloss from the room, shutting the door behind him. She allowed him back in minutes later when she was finished changing Zelgadiss' bandages and he was dressed. "Next time, sir, you'll need to check in at the nurse's station before visiting any patient here," she said on her way out.

"Dammit, Xelloss," he muttered at him. "If it's not bad enough having to ask for help to walk to the bathroom, I don't need people walking in on me when the nurses are changing me. You're lucky I don't have my gun. I'd shoot you now if I could."

"You're lucky I don't _own_ a gun, Zelgadiss, or I'd probably be in handcuffs by now," Xelloss fumed as he paced around the room.

"Why are you even here? I know it's not to see how I'm doing."

Xelloss stopped and gripped the foot of the bed. His accusing gaze bored into Zel. "What the hell did you do to piss off the Seyruun sisters?"

"What?"

"Naga and Amelia. What did you do to them?"

"_What? _Why are you asking me about them?"

"I got a call from Naga a couple of days ago telling me that she was pulling her case from me. She said that I violated attorney-client confidentiality by giving you the file, and that by doing so, it negated our contract."

"But you got her okay to let me see it."

"I can't prove that she ever said such a thing."

"Then, why don't you just tell her that you never let me have the file?"

"Ah, but therein lies the problem, you see. _You_ have the file at _your_ house in _your_ office. I was supposed to get it back to her this morning, but had to put her off until I could get it from _you_. Now she and her lawyers know that I don't have the file, and that you do, so how would telling her I never let you see it work?"

Zelgadiss covered his eyes. It figured Naga would try to get back at him for what happened by hurting him in a backhanded way. He'd just have to piece together what he had learned with his own research.

"Go ahead and get it, then."

"Fine. Where are your keys?"

He groaned when he remembered where they were. "Amelia has them."

"Great." He sighed. "_She_ just found out about the confidential case her sister's been working on, accused me of orchestrating the bankruptcy of her ex-boyfriend's father, and brought Filia along to see me squirm. (It's good for you that Filia and I worked things out, or I'd be even more upset with you.) I don't think Miss Amelia will be too thrilled to see me, especially if it's to ask for your keys."

Zel was staring at the bed sheet balled up in his fists. "Ex-boyfriend?"

"Yeah. Kid named Denton. I guess she just talked to him and found out all about it."

"When did she talk to him?"

"Saturday, I think." Xelloss eyed Zelgadiss. "Apparently, it was the same day that she got together with Val, that lowlife…"

"_What!_"

"Yes. Filia said that she saw them in a rather… compromising position when she returned home that night. When I heard that, I knew that you must have done something extremely stupid to have pushed that girl into the arms of that… that degenerate," he said, as if the thought of Val made him want to spit.

"She and Val?" he growled.

There it was: that anger, boiling up inside of him, threatening to spill over. So there _was_ something between them after all. Then, why the hell did she sit with him all those days and nights when she could have stayed with that guy? Why did she even bother to feign affection for him? Had she been stringing him along the whole time? That bitch!

He wanted to throw something, to shout and rage against his stupid heart for becoming attached to that girl. He felt the intense desire to destroy something, to smash it until nothing remained. Instead, he bottled it up, wanting the jealousy and anger to stew within him, festering until he was consumed with the same hatred that he had for the last woman who did this to him, who left him for another man.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and his mind's eye imagined Amelia laughing with _Val_ and spending time with _Val_ and loving _Val_…

But then it was unexpectedly replaced by her smiling face when he took her picture at the car show, and her bubbling laughter when he let her dress him up as a woman and put makeup on him, and her fierce determination when faced with the challenge of a video game or a sparring match or a paintball fight, and her sparkling blue eyes reflecting the lights of the water light show as she leaned up to meet his kiss…

_It could have been **you**, you know. **You** could have made her happy._

His eyes shot open with the understanding that it _could_ have been him, and that it was his own fault that she left him. His anger was abruptly snuffed out.

"He's an addict," ranted Xelloss, unaware of the gamut of emotions occurring within his friend. "And his stepfather had connections to organized crime. Hell, Gaav was probably a mob boss after all. It's no wonder that kid ended up running drugs and collecting money and beating people up at such a young age. Oh, Filia said that he's been clean for years now, but all you have to do is look at him to know that he's no good. He's a creature of violence. Do you even know what he did to those girls?"

Zelgadiss remained silent, staring at his hands.

"I could never get all the details, but three years ago, he put Filia and Miss Amelia into the hospital, and put Miss Lina through quite the wringer. He's a nuisance and should be in prison," he muttered.

"She and Val…" Zelgadiss repeated, tired and defeated. Xelloss wondered if he had heard a word he had said.

"Or so Filia said. Of course, you might want to ask Miss Amelia herself. No? Hn. So then you _did_ do something stupid to push her away."

"Get out."

"Sure. But you have to cough up the keys soon, or else I'll let Naga know that she needs to ask her sister for your keys. I don't know what kind of hell that will stir up, but it would be interesting to watch."

"Get. Out."

Xelloss smirked. "Bye, Zelgadiss. I'll come by in a few days. I hope you'll have the keys by then."

Zel didn't even bother to watch his friend leave. His eyes unfocused as he stared at his fists. What did he expect? What did he think would happen when he told her that he was indifferent to her? He chased her away, into the arms of her ex-boyfriend and then Val. He couldn't even bring himself to think that she was like Eris any longer. Who could blame her for what she did? After all, he had brought it upon himself.

Feeling completely beaten, he wondered why he was even alive.

* * *

Amelia put on her pajamas and stood in the middle of her room, just staring at her surroundings. It had taken her and Lina two nights after school and work to move all her junk back in her room and clean up the apartment. She had just spent the few remaining free hours of Wednesday washing clothes and organizing her room, anything to keep from going to sleep. 

The first night in a month that she slept in her room, she had been so tired that she didn't know if she had even dreamt. It seemed that the second she closed her eyes, her alarm clock was already waking her up for school at seven o'clock. The next night was the same, so she figured that she would truly be able to get things back to normal. But last night, she had awakened suddenly, in a cold sweat, though the fragments of her dream eluded her. If it was a nightmare, she couldn't remember it.

And now, standing there on the clean carpet, regarding the spotless room, although she was dead tired, she felt as if she would never sleep. Mustering her courage, she turned off her lamp, and then pulled back the bedcovers. Slipping beneath the cool sheets, she snuggled into the pillows, emptying her mind and slowing her breathing. The thoughts and images in her beleaguered mind soon began to fade to black…

_The carpet was covered with blood. _

_Sticky._

_Slick. _

_Crimson. _

_Warm. _

_She didn't want to look. She was afraid._

_But, she had to. She didn't know if it was safe to come out from beneath the desk._

_Trembling, she pressed her cheek against the wet carpet, with its awful metallic smell. _

_The hand that lay inches from her face seemed to be reaching out for her, but the blue eyes that stared back at her were empty and lifeless._

_Soulless._

_Dead._

"_Zelgadiss!"_

Amelia sat upright in bed, the scream caught in her throat, choking her. She gasped for breath, trying to calm herself. Her heart was beating crazily, though she could have sworn it had stopped just a second ago. Her pajamas clung to her body as she swung her feet over the side of the bed. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand.

Twelve o'clock.

Before she could figure out what she was doing and talk herself out of it, she had changed clothes and was padding down the stairs, slipping outside and into the garage. Getting her motorcycle out to the street before starting it up was the hard part, but soon, she was on her way down the hill towards a destination that her heart was leading her to.

Though visiting hours were long past, the night guard at the hospital recognized her and allowed her into the hospital with a smile. After all, it had been almost a week since the young lady who had visited her friend every single day had been there. The nurses as well were surprised, but lenient, when the intolerable patient's lady-friend decided to visit in the middle of the night while he was asleep. They were confused, though, when she insisted that they keep her visit a secret.

Amelia slipped into Zelgadiss' room, where a single emergency light illuminated his still form. He was asleep, snoring lightly, but he seemed restless, unsettled. She hesitated, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Lina would have told her that she shouldn't be there, that she should find another 'fish in the sea.' But there was something about the man lying in the bed that drew her to him. She couldn't explain it, but it was there.

Letting go of her doubts, she stepped forward and sat down at his bedside. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and she found herself matching her own breathing with his. The anxious thoughts and feelings soon began to subside as she sat there, just watching him and being with him. Her heart was imbued with something so strangely powerful that it hurt and relaxed her at the same time. Tears filled her eyes, and though she swore she wouldn't be weak, she reached out to take his hand, clutching it in hers, as she lowered her forehead to the bed.

"I can't help it, Zelgadiss," she whispered, barely audible. "I can't help loving you. I don't want you to disappear from my life. I want you to be happy, with me, if you could… I love you. I don't know why, but I love you _so_ much."

His hand moved just a bit, and Amelia wondered if she had awakened him. The nurses mentioned that they had just given him his pain medication, and that he would be asleep for several hours. She looked up at his scarred but handsome face, but he was still very asleep.

Yet he was gripping her hand now, and she could have sworn that his features were calmer. Amelia smiled as she wiped away her tears. Soothing him even just a little made her feel needed. That was enough for her.

Her nightmares didn't return for a long time.

* * *

Zelgadiss gripped the handrail as he walked haltingly down the hallway, shuffling about in his too-big slippers. He must have looked a sight: his hair more unkempt than usual, his robe hanging about his thin frame, all the while using the IV stand like a rolling cane. After a month of being bed-ridden, he was glad to be up and about, but he felt like a weakling. The nurses were even whispering to themselves as they watched him, and he wondered if they would stop him soon. 

A renewed sense of purpose filled him for some reason, and he took another two steps. The day before had proven grueling, and he was ready to give up and beg Doctor Sohma for morphine again, but the good doctor had already told him that he had been in touch with his colleague and that the man was clearing his schedule for his upcoming patient. So, Zelgadiss held out and took his dosage of vicodin which helped to ease the pain, and was actually able to get a good night's sleep. Perhaps that was the reason for his renewed drive. His muscles ached, and now they burned, but if he could make it the last ten feet to his room, he could lie down and rest.

"Hey, Zel! You're up!"

He turned his head, and was actually relieved to see Gourry walking towards him. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but his long hair was still in a long braid down his back. It looked like he had just gotten off of work.

"Yeah," he grumbled when his friend made it to his side. "I couldn't stand being stuck in that bed anymore. I'm hoping they'll release me sometime next week so I can start rehab."

"Wow. That'll be great. Did you need any help?" he asked.

Zelgadiss grimaced. "Yeah, actually. I hate asking, but I just took a lap around the ward, and the last ten feet are looking an awful lot like twenty."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Give me your arm."

Gourry actually stopped and looked at him as if he had grown another head. "What do you want to do with my arm?"

Zelgadiss chuckled, despite the pain that was pulsating though his body. "I don't mean it like that, Gourry. I need to put my weight on something sturdy, so if you walk with me and let me lean on you, I can probably get to my room faster."

Looking relieved, he helped his friend continue his slow trek to his room. After helping him into his bed, he pulled up a seat next to him.

"So, what are you doing here?" Zelgadiss asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright. I heard that Amelia hasn't had time to come down to see you, so I thought you might be lonely."

The affable mood he was in suddenly dissipated. "I'm not lonely," he muttered.

"Has anyone else come to see you?"

"Yeah. Xelloss came by the other day. That reminds me. Do you think you can do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Can you ask Amelia, or ask Lina to ask Amelia, to give you the keys to my house? Xelloss needs to get something there."

"Sure. I'll call her tonight. Did you want me to give them to Xelloss?"

"No, just bring them back here. He's coming by the day after tomorrow."

Gourry nodded, and Zelgadiss wondered if he would remember to do it. He probably considered the man to be his best friend, but there were times when he wondered if all the lights were on upstairs. Of course, that was what made Gourry, Gourry.

Closing his eyes, Zelgadiss leaned back in bed, relishing in the dull aches in his body that were a result of exercise instead of injury. It was welcome after the acute pains he had to endure on a daily basis.

He had almost dozed off when his friend asked, "Did anyone else come to visit?"

Zelgadiss opened an eye and looked sideways at the man. "What are you getting at?" he asked tiredly.

"Lina was afraid no one was visiting you again. She's still mad at you for some reason, so I said that I'd come by and keep you company."

"She's such a saint," he said sarcastically.

Gourry seemed puzzled. "Well, not really, but she thinks about other people more than they'd believe. She's worried about you."

"Lina? Worried about me? I don't think so."

"You don't give her enough credit, Zel. She was the one who got us out to Atlas City to visit you every weekend when you were in the hospital the last two times."

"Ugh. Don't remind me…" he moaned, covering his face with his hand.

"Hey, Zel. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. Why the hell not?"

"Why didn't Amelia know about you protecting her?"

Zelgadiss sighed. He knew it wasn't Gourry's fault that he was so clueless most of the time. He couldn't really be angry with him when he had no idea what was going on around him.

"Her father wanted to keep it from her so that she wouldn't go vigilante and try to take the perpetrator on herself," he explained. "So I never told her. And now, she thinks I'm the scum of the earth, and she's about right."

"But she doesn't think that."

"Yes, she does. Rightly so, since I all but told her that I wasn't interested in her anymore."

"You're not?"

A sudden pain jabbed his chest, and he wondered if it was a side-effect from his walk. He wanted to lie to Gourry, just like he lied to Amelia and Lina. He wanted to tell him that Amelia meant nothing to him, that he didn't have a shred of affection for her, but knowing that she was with another guy, and that she would never be his, and the fact that this was _Gourry_, who didn't judge or accuse, made the words just spill out.

"Of course I was… _am_," he corrected himself, "but it doesn't matter anyway. She's better off without me. I'd just end up hurting her even worse if she and I were together. I could never live with myself if I hurt her like that."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is!"

"You'd never hurt Amelia. I think you'd rather give up your own life than actually hurt someone you loved."

"You don't understand, Gourry. It's in me, like a switch. I could snap so easily, and she'd be dead before I could stop myself. You don't understand. I don't think you could…"

"If this has to do with when you tried to kill Eris and Rezo, then I _do_ understand," he mumbled.

Zelgadiss looked up in shock. No one knew about that. No one _could_. Especially not _Gourry_.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, hoping his friend's infamous absentmindedness would crop up soon.

Unfortunately, for him, Gourry leaned forward and looked him straight in the eyes. For the first time, Zelgadiss saw a shrewdness in his gaze that told him otherwise.

"Zel, when I brought you home from the hospital back then, I saw that you were in no shape to be left alone. You looked like you wanted everything to fade away. You went there that night to _die_, not to kill."

"You don't know…"

Gourry cut him off. "I took all the bullets and the extra clips."

"What?" He sounded stunned.

"I may be dense and forgetful, but I'm not stupid. I was afraid you might try to shoot yourself, so I took all the bullets in the house, even the box under the bed. You never checked the gun before you went to the house, did you?"

Zelgadiss was even more in shock.

"Of course I did."

"Did you?"

"I think so…"

Though he had spent so much time trying to forget it, his mind went back to pore over the events of that night. Things were so hazy, but he could remember most of it. Gourry had stayed with him for hours that night, and when he left, Zelgadiss had felt so alone and worthless. There was nothing for him then. He had gone to the lock box in his duffel bag, removed his gun, and, of course, checked the clip… checked… the…

"No," he admitted with a sinking stomach, realizing his friend was right. He had just picked up the gun and, after staring at it for what seemed like hours, stuck it in his waistband and walked out the door. "No, I didn't."

"You've been trained to always check your weapon before you go anywhere, whether or not you intend to use it. You never checked to make sure that your gun was loaded. Did you even realize that it was lighter, that it didn't have any bullets in it?"

He shook his head.

"So you went to their house with an unloaded gun, in order to force her to make a decision, to finish what she began when she left you. I don't buy that you went there to kill them. You wouldn't have been able to hurt them with that gun."

"But, how did you know…?"

"When I heard you'd been shot, I went back to your house that night to get your things for the hospital, and I saw your gun was missing. I put your clips and bullets back where I found them. When I went there the next day, the police were searching your place, and they found your empty gun in the lock box, right next to clips I left. Eris must have put it back. They bought her story, just like everyone else."

"But you didn't say anything."

He shrugged. "Of course not. The last thing you needed was to get booted out of the force as some kind of head case. You got better, came home, and were good as new. I didn't see the harm in what I did. Besides, there was never a formal investigation, anyway."

Zelgadiss sat in his bed, unsure of what to make of this startling revelation. He had always lived with the guilt and shame of this secret, but Gourry's words were creeping into his mind and beginning to make sense. It was true. He _had_ wanted to die. He didn't want to go on living as a freak, to have the one good thing in his life taken away from him. So he tried to take the coward's way out: suicide by cop. Damn. Had he sunk so low?

But _this_ time, things were different. This time, though he still wasn't sure he deserved to live, there wasn't that terrible emotional burden of hating someone he loved. No. If anything, he wanted Amelia to be happy, and if that meant that she would be happy with Val or her ex-boyfriend or whoever, then he would be happy. The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her anymore. He cared about her too much.

He _still_ cared about her…

"Zel?" Gourry asked, seeing his friend staring through the bed.

"She wanted me to live," he said, more to himself than to Gourry.

"Who, Eris?"

"No. Amelia. I barely remember it, and it may have been a dream, but I saw that she was sad when I was dying. She didn't want me to leave her, so I didn't. I fought for each breath, for each heartbeat, just so I could see her face again. And when my body refused to obey, and it decided it wanted to give up, _I_ didn't, because I didn't want to leave her alone."

The realization was comforting in a way he couldn't describe. He had never thought he could find happiness in another person after what had happened to him, yet he discovered that her happiness meant more to him than his own. The knowledge that she ran to another man pained him, and he wished he could take back those awful lies and those horrible words, '_nothing worthwhile happened in Atlas City.'_ Just thinking about the distressed look on her face pierced his heart. The only thing he could do was continue to watch over and protect her from afar.

And if he ever got another chance, would he take it?

Zelgadiss closed his eyes and sank back into his pillows.

"Thanks, Gourry. I never knew that you saved my life back then, but with that simple act, you saved me. Maybe I'm not _really_ the monster that I always thought I was. I don't know. Maybe I still am. This is a lot to take in right now."

"It's okay. I just thought that you should know. You shouldn't hate yourself so much, Zel. _We_ all like you well enough the way you are."

He smirked. "Thanks. So what's this I hear about you finally accepting a position in S.W.A.T.?" he asked, trying to steer his mind away from thoughts of Amelia.

"Yeah, well, I thought about it for a long time, and I finally decided to join. I'll start the program at the beginning of the year."

"How does your partner feel about it?"

"Oh, he's getting married, so I don't think he cares."

"Zangulus is getting married?"

"Yeah, to some ditzy reporter."

"Well, good for him… Huh?" Zelgadiss opened his eyes when a cool hand was placed on his forehead. Gourry was feeling his own forehead with his free hand.

"You don't have a fever," he was saying. "Are you feeling okay?"

"What? Yeah, I am. What are you doing?" he asked, pushing the hand away.

"Oh, you just didn't sound like yourself. I thought the 'good for him' would have sounded like you didn't mean it, but it actually did," he teased.

"Shut up."

He laughed. "Hey, I'll let you get your rest." Gourry stood and walked out to the door, but he stopped and turned back. "Are you sure you don't want me to ask Amelia to bring you the keys herself?"

Zelgadiss cracked open his eyes and stared at his hand. The memory of the feel of her hand in his was so strong that his chest tightened painfully again. She felt so close to him, yet was still somehow unreachable. Maybe this was his chance? He could so easily say 'yes' and she would be at his side, and he could explain why he lied to her and tell her how he really felt…

"No," he said instead. He didn't know if he could handle the rejection right now. He knew that he could be magnanimous about the situation now, but having to face the reality was something completely different. He knew that he would still dislike Val for being with Amelia when he couldn't. He knew that it would destroy him when she told him off for being a jerk. He knew that he wouldn't be able to handle it if Amelia despised him. No. Now wasn't the time. The wounds were still too fresh.

"Bye, Gourry."

"See you later, then."

Zelgadiss closed his hand, remembering the feel of her fingers entwined in his, and he wondered if he would ever have the courage to face her again, to ask for a second chance when he didn't deserve one.

"I want you to be happy, Amelia, with _me_," he whispered, unaware that he had echoed the words of the girl who meant so much to him.

The girl, he finally admitted to himself, he had fallen in love with.

* * *

A/N: Hullo! I guess it's been too long, but personal health problems have prevented me from writing (and reading, unfortunately) as often as I'd like to. Things are looking up, though. Hopefully, I'll actually have consecutive weeks of lucidity so I can get back to work on my fics (my fingers are crossed…). This chapter got things back on track after certain characters' bouts of stupidity, but I can't promise that they won't do stupid things in the future. After all, human is human. 

I don't think they ever said Eris' last name in the series, but I remember seeing it as 'Vruumugun' in the manga (which makes more sense than anything else, I suppose), so I used that. Doctor Hatori Sohma is from Fruits Basket, and reminds me much of Zelgadiss – stoic and serious, but capable of great depth of emotions. By the way, does anyone know if the Supreme Elder was ever given a name?

Thank you to everyone who's continued to read, despite my halting updates. Big hugs to you all! It's your reviews and kind words that make be battle through to get the next one out. Special thanks to those who've reviewed: **e-chan16** (You know that I wouldn't do that to you guys! Although Val and Amelia's relationship is very close, Amelia's heart lies with Zel, so no need to worry. Now if they can just get past this misunderstanding…), **katy** (Ah, thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and that it's believable. Sometimes, that's the hardest part. Thanks for letting me know it works!), **Ichiban Victory** (Yeah, I think I was in major angst mode when I was writing that chapter, but this one starts the healing process. You're right. Amelia needed a slap, but Lina's whack to the head helped to knock some sense into her. Val will be fine; he's one of those guys who really means it when he says 'if you love something, set it free.' There aren't enough guys like that in the world… Zelgadiss, though he's thinking the same, will actually fight a little more for her affections – that is, when he gets his head out of the ground. _winks_), **Hoshi-chan1** (Thank you! I've read a couple of fics with the Ame/Val pairing, and I found that I really enjoy it. Of course, I like Ame/Zel more, so here we are. _grins_), **Stephanie** (Well, thank you! It's slow going, and I sometimes think I'm not getting anywhere, but your comments - and reminders to get the lead out and write! - always help me. I just wish I could get my butt in gear and get better enough to write more often. _hugs_), **Stara Maijka** (It seems like Zel is the only one who sees the bigger picture here, but he's so distracted by everything else that's been going on. It's on his mind, though, so he's slowly trying to figure things out. Naga is such a grating character, normally, that I found that there had to be something deeper about her that not many people get to see. And when I first started this fic, I didn't really like Val all that much, but he was such a tragic character in the anime that I felt that needed to translate to this story. He's quickly become one of my favorites. And as for Amelia's gear, thank you for the info. You've given me another idea that I will most likely integrate into the story. _winks_ Thank you!), **Aisha C** (Thank you! I'm sorry things are going so slowly – it definitely is not my intention to leave you all hanging for so long without a new chapter. Your reviews really do keep me going though. Thanks again!), **Muffles** (Wow. I just realized that I've written twenty nine chapters so far, and you're right. The mystery is still a mystery, but I'm dribbling little clues throughout the story. Things are beginning to come to a head, so much more of the mystery will make itself known. And I'm glad that you saw that the whole Ame/Val thing needed to be done. She did have feelings for him, but she needed to put it behind her so she can have a fresh relationship with Zel – if he can get past his past, that is. _hugs_), **Lina Gabriev** (Yeah, we needed to put an end to the love triangle. Now it's just up to the characters to realize that there _isn't _a triangle anymore. Zel's job is safe… in fact, he's in for a bit of a change soon. And guess what? You get a brownie point for the watch! Yay! It's been questioned, but you're the first one to put forth a guess. As for where he put it on Amelia… well, that's a secret, of course! _winks_ Though, if you read between the lines in a certain chapter, I actually hint at it… Lina likes being in control of things, so when everything spirals and she's helpless, it ticks her off. Of course, having Gourry to comfort her has had a surprising calming effect on her. Oh, and Amelia's dad is a Superior Court Judge in my fic; Filia's grandfather is the Mayor), **Raven Summersong** (Thank you so much! I always second-guess my writing, so I'm glad you guys like it. I guess you can say that I'm happy I made you cry… wait, that sounded bad, huh? _grins_ And I went to Anime Expo this year and I got to see Crispin Freeman, albeit from all the way across the room and for about thirty minutes… _sigh _He's so cool!), **Kaeru Shisho** (Thank you so much! I really agonized over that chapter. I had wondered if it conveyed everyone's emotions well enough, and I'm glad to see that you think it did. I usually focus on the more positive aspects of a character, but that chapter was showcasing all their flaws. I'm happy that you saw it as a natural progression of events: disbelief, anger, regret, and then self-righteousness. Her migraines were my way of releasing my own pain, but they also helped to show that she's still got something darker in her past that she hasn't yet come to terms with. She can always talk to Val, but there's someone else waiting in the wings that she needs to share with. Thank you for being so patient with me! _hugs_), **SithKnight-Galen** (That's okay! I'm just happy knowing that you're all still enjoying it. And though Xelloss and Gourry both made an appearance in this chapter, one didn't do as good a job of pulling Zelgadiss out of his misery as the other – _shakes her head at Xelloss_. The confrontation was not as explosive as it could have been, but I've got a plan for a WML chapter – later - to make up for that. Thanks again!), **Valk** (Glad you caught up! Cleao is from Orphen and Tohru is from Fruits Basket. They'll be making another appearance in the next chapter. As for Zel's dream sequence chapter, I was trying for the 'huh?' reaction – disjointed and perplexing as memories and dreams can be. I'm glad you enjoyed it!), **jesphoenix05** (Ah yes, Val has graduated from Broody-boy academy and has stepped into the hallowed halls of Zen-Jedi-Master grad school – move over Daniel Jackson! _winks_ Lina must have gotten a message from Yoda and whacked Amelia for him. Now, who's going to crack Zel on the noggin? Never fear, the ski trip is coming…), **Rukia-sama** (I'm glad you reviewed! I know how addicting fanfics can be, so by all means, keep reading! Zelgadiss did make a slow introduction, but once Amelia really got to talk to him, that's when she latched onto his friendship. I don't think either one was ready to fall in love, but that's what happens sometimes. They have their bumps along the way, but it seems that they're both learning from their mistakes - I hope. Thanks again!)

You all make it worth the headaches and the sleepless nights! So click the button and review!


	30. The Ties That Bind

Disclaimer: Slayers, Orphen, Fruits Basket and Hana Kimi and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 30**

_**The Ties That Bind**_

Christmas was approaching rapidly, and the last week of school before winter break was spent either cramming for midterms or working increased hours at the store in order to make some last minute spending money. Amelia had already bought all her Christmas presents in November, so all she really needed to do was save up for the prospect of possibly moving out with Lina and Filia in the spring.

She tried to occupy her time with her work, but her mind would drift every so often to the fact that Xelloss had told her that her sister had him working on some kind of court case. Naga had her own team of lawyers to handle anything from trademark infringement to traffic tickets, so Amelia wondered why she had employed Xelloss to work on a case for her. It was very suspicious, and her mind tried to work out if it had anything to do with her family's recent troubles.

Her mind was also troubled by a request from Gourry the previous day when he met her and Lina at work for dinner. He had tried to make it sound casual, for Gourry anyway, but it still took her by surprise.

"Hey, Amelia. I was going to ask you earlier, but I've been working. Zel needs his keys to his house."

They had been talking about their upcoming vacation, and this change in the conversation caught Lina's attention as well.

"Why?" Lina asked, and Amelia was grateful she didn't have to ask the question. "Couldn't he have asked her himself?"

"Well, he needs Xelloss to do something for him before he goes home. He's going to be discharged tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Isn't that kind of quick?"

"No. The doctor said that he's making great progress, and they're getting him into rehab right away."

Pasting a bright smile on her face, Amelia said, "Of course, Mister Gourry." She dug into her purse and fished out the keys. "Here. Can you please let Mister Zelgadiss know that I took it upon myself to clean out his refrigerator and sort out his mail. He might want to get those bills paid as soon as he gets home; he's been gone for almost a whole month. I wouldn't want him to be late on a payment or anything. I also paid the gardeners a month in advance, so he doesn't have to pay them until after the New Year. The trash is empty and the plants are watered, too. The only thing I didn't do is to listen to his voice mail. The answering machine said that he's got ten messages. I think that's it. Can you let him know that I hope he gets better soon?"

She had prattled on happily, but by the time she had finished, she was in no mood to remain with her friends and answer their questioning stares. She had excused herself and was afraid that Lina was going to stop her, but Gourry held her behind, saying to her, "Um… Lina, there's something I've been meaning to tell you…"

Amelia didn't stick around to find out what it was that Gourry had told Lina, but after Lina returned to work, she had been unusually quiet for the rest of the evening. She hadn't even asked her about Zelgadiss. Amelia, ever the unselfish person, wondered what it was that Gourry had said that seemed to have upset her so much. Her own concern over Zelgadiss was soon set aside in her worry over her friend.

A sudden poke in the chest and a sharp whistle broke her reverie.

Amelia looked down, and to her surprise, the tip of a foil was pressed smack in the middle of her chest.

"Touch. Point. Winner! Tohru!"

Weak applause echoed around them, and Amelia turned to see that the fencing class was staring in amazement at them. At the bleachers, Val was covering his face and shaking his head, but Filia and Lina were trying their best to look enthusiastic as they clapped. They were in one of the school's workout rooms for the last fencing class before break. The floor was covered with dark blue pads, since the room also served as the wrestling room, the aerobics room, the self-defense room, and the yoga room.

Amelia pulled her mask off and tucked it under her arm. Transferring her foil to her other hand, she shook hands with Tohru, who was beaming happily. Both girls returned to the bleachers to remove their jackets and sit with the rest of the class.

"Geez, Amelia," Cleao, the young instructor said as Amelia shrugged out of her jacket. They had joined Cleao's fencing class for the winter quarter, and were surprised at how their new friend was both professional and laid-back when conducting her classes. "Are you okay? Though you haven't been one of my best students, you're still pretty good. But you let Tohru here score on you! Nothing personal, Tohru, but the only thing you usually hit is the wall," she said with a sympathetic nod, addressing the girl next to her.

Tohru, who was arguably the most non-confrontational person Amelia knew, merely smiled and said, "Oh, no. It's okay. I was surprised, too!"

Cleao turned back to Amelia. "Something on your mind?"

"Uh, yeah, but it's nothing, really. I'm sorry for disrupting your class."

Cleao rolled her eyes. "Pfft! 'Disrupting?' Whatever. You should see some of the jerks I get in here. Talk about disrupting. I'll expect better next year, though." Amelia nodded meekly, and then Cleao looked down at her clipboard and scanned the list. "Okay, next up are Filia and Val." She replaced the whistle between her lips as they walked to their places on the strip, pulling on their masks as they went.

Amelia sat down, flanked by Lina and Tohru.

"What's bothering you, Miss Amelia?" Tohru asked as she fixed her hair, pulling it up into a ponytail. "I would never have scored on you if you had been paying attention."

Lina agreed, "Yeah. We're all here because you wanted to join Cleao's class. You were doing pretty well, too. Is it Zel again?" she asked sharply.

"'Zel'? Who's Zel?" Tohru asked.

Amelia shot Lina a dark look, but answered, "He's a… friend. That's all."

Lina snorted and turned her attention back to Val and Filia's match. "Yeah, a friend who needs his ass kicked," she muttered.

Deciding that telling Lina that she was really worried about her was probably not what her friend wanted to hear in the middle of class, so she said, "I'm just worried about him. He's being discharged from the hospital today."

"Well, that's good news, isn't it?" Tohru asked.

"Yes. It is." Amelia must not have appeared convinced, because Tohru clapped her hands together and smiled.

"I know what will help! Are you working today?" Amelia shook her head. It just so happened that she and Lina had both worked inventory the night before, and so today was their day off. "Great! Then if you'd like, you can come home with me. My friends are coming over, so I'm making mini cakes. I can introduce you all and we can play Rich Man, Poor Man!"

Amelia had no clue what that was.

Tohru must have noticed her blank look, because she said, "Oh, that is, if you wouldn't mind. I know it's not much, and it might not even be interesting, but whenever I'm feeling down, it always helps when I eat something sweet and play a fun game."

"I don't know how to play it, but I'm sure it will be fun to learn!" Amelia said, honestly happy.

Before they could think any more upon it, someone appeared in the doorway.

"Damn, isn't she done yet?"

Lina glanced over and saw that a young man with short messy black hair was standing there, leaning on the doorframe with a scowl on his face. He was wearing black jeans and a red t-shirt with a black denim vest. Amelia thought his fashion sense left much to be desired, even if he was good-looking.

"Hey! Got a problem, buddy?" Lina asked him.

"Yeah, and it's with that ditzy teacher of yours."

"Miss Lina," Amelia pleaded, tugging on her shirtsleeve, but her friend got up anyway.

"Well, Cleao is busy right now, so you'll just have to wait. Who are you, anyway?"

"Shouldn't matter to you," he sniffed.

"It _will_ matter when I'm asked to identify the person I smeared all over the room."

He smirked and cracked his knuckles. "Yeah? Well, I'd like to see you try."

Surprising them, he bowed before entering the room and kicked his shoes off before stepping onto the blue mats. Scowling, Lina removed her own shoes and followed him to an unused area of the room. Several people at this point noticed them squaring off against each other, and Cleao, Amelia noticed, just shook her head and told Filia and Val to keep doing what they were doing.

"He kept me waiting long enough," Amelia heard her say to Val. "He can wait ten minutes while I finish up with the class."

Lina, never one to sit back and wait for something to happen, attacked first, jabbing quickly at his face, but he blocked it easily enough. Then he caught her arm and flipped her, but Lina was ready for it. As she rolled over his shoulder, she twisted and locked his arm, pulling him along after her. As he landed, she kicked him in the stomach.

"Why you…"

They continued to fight, and Amelia couldn't help but think that Lina jumped at the chance to hit someone fairly quickly. She had spent the last month in relative peace, not hitting people as often as before, and Amelia had the distinct impression that it was due to the fact that she and Gourry were now a couple. But today, it was almost as if she wanted to take out her pent up aggression on someone who deserved it, or someone she _thought_ deserved it. Even her bout today could hardly have been called fair when Lina was a blur of steel. She had won in under two minutes.

Amelia looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Val, who wore a self-satisfied grin; behind him, Filia was shooting him dirty looks. Val, apparently, had won their match. She felt guilty not to have seen his match, but her friend didn't seem bothered by it.

"Who's the jerk?" he asked, looking at the 'battle' nearby.

Cleao answered him, not bothering to look up from her clipboard. "That's Orphen. He's the self-defense instructor here."

Tohru piped in, "He's also Miss Cleao's boyfriend."

"Yeah, when he feels like it suits him. He always seems to be looking for the next great fight. He tries to pick fights with the students all the time. I'm surprised Lina took his bait."

Amelia sighed. "I think Miss Lina's been looking for someone to hit."

"Why?" asked Val.

"I don't know, exactly. Just a feeling, I guess." She didn't think it was her place to speculate about her best friend with all these people, no matter how much she liked them. She leaned over to whisper, "Hey, can she come with us, Miss Tohru? I think she might need some cheering up, too."

Tohru nodded with a smile. "Sure, of course!"

Filia, who hadn't heard Amelia's explanation, finally joined them and shook her head in disgust. "Why is Miss Lina such a 'Crusader Rabbit?'"

They all looked at her, finally tearing their eyes from the fight in the background. "A what?"

"Well, Lina hates bullies (which is strange, because she tends to bully her friends). So whenever she sees someone picking on someone else or someone who is being arrogant or insufferable, she takes it upon herself to put those people in their place." She looked up at the fight and sighed. "He's going to lose."

Cleao looked skeptical.

"Orphen may teach self-defense, but he's really an aikido instructor. He also knows kempo." It almost sounded as if she were bragging about him.

Val shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Whoever's going to win is not the real subject here. This is ridiculous." He wiped his face with a towel, and strode forward, stepping between the two and interrupting the fight. "Come on. You've proven your point. Both of you."

Lina wiped at her chin, and growled when she saw a streak of blood on her hand. Aside from a few bruises, Orphen didn't appear to be hurt, but he was resting most of his weight on one leg.

"You're not so bad," he said to her, but Lina gave him the finger and kicked his good leg. "You little…!"

But he didn't get the chance to finish the sentence. As he reached for her, Val's hand shot out and locked his wrist. Pulling his arm around Orphen's back, Val tripped him and forced him to the mat, kneeling on the small of his back.

"I said you've both proven your points. This is no place for this. If you really want to fight, take it outside, but you'd better not do it in front of me." He released him and stood, glaring down at him.

Orphen stood with Cleao's help. She looked angry, but hooked her arm around his waist. "That's what you get for picking fights all the time, you idiot," she scolded.

"Hey, not many people can get the jump on me like you did," he told Val, as if Cleao hadn't even spoken. "Would you be interested…?"

He shook his head and offered Lina his towel. "I don't fight anymore. Not even for fun."

"It's a good thing, too," Lina spat. "Val knows jiu-jitsu, kali and escrima, and Krav Maga. He'd kick your ass…"

"Lina," Val warned, and he pushed her back towards the bleachers.

"Oh, c'mon, Val! He's a jerk."

"And so was I, remember? Besides, he's Cleao's boyfriend. It's not worth it." That seemed to mollify her, and she returned to her friends wiping her lip as she went. He turned back to Orphen. "Sorry 'bout that, but she doesn't like backing down from a challenge."

"Yeah. I got that about her."

Cleao slapped him across the back of the head. "That's for interrupting my class and injuring one of my students. What did you come here for, anyway?"

Looking sheepish, he lowered his voice, but not enough that Val, who was looking pointedly away, couldn't hear. "I thought I'd surprise you and bring you out for lunch after your classes."

Val walked quickly back to his friends as Cleao threw her arms around Orphen and hugged him.

"Aw, c'mon Cleao. Not in front of all these people," he muttered. Lina gagged and rolled her eyes.

Amelia smiled, despite the fact that her friend was dabbing a towel at her cut lip. "Hey, Miss Lina. Come with me to Miss Tohru's house. She's going to teach me how to play a game."

"Nah. That's alright…"

"She's going to make a cake," she tempted.

"Cake?"

"Yes, but I don't know what kind."

She seemed to consider for a second, then smirked. "Well, if there's food, count me in. Did you need a ride home, Tohru?"

"Oh, no. I usually take the bus whenever Kyo or Yuki aren't at school."

"That's okay. You can ride with either me or Amelia," Lina suggested. Then she frowned. "Or just Amelia. I forgot. I need to get the passenger seat belt fixed in my truck."

"She can ride with me, Miss Lina. I'll just ask if we can borrow Val's extra helmet. That is, if you wouldn't mind riding on a motorcycle, Miss Tohru."

Their friend beamed. "Oh, that would be fun! My mom used to tell me all about when she rode a motorcycle when she was in her gang. She was called the 'Red Butterfly' because she went so fast, her taillights looked like a red butterfly tearing down the street!"

Amelia and Lina looked at each other, not sure of what to make of Tohru's innocent-sounding words.

"Okay, everybody!" Cleao announced. Orphen was leaning against the far wall with his hands behind his head. He seemed bored, but his half-closed eyes were fixed solely on the blonde instructor. Amelia had a feeling that he probably cared about his girlfriend more than she thought. "Great job today. Starting next year, we'll begin on the epee and sabre. Have a great vacation, everyone!"

Class was dismissed, and after hugs and wishes for happy holidays from Cleao, Amelia and her friends finally filed out of the room. Amelia retrieved Val's extra helmet (with a stern warning for her to be careful with a novice) and offered it to Tohru.

"Thank you for helping to cheer me up, Miss Tohru. And maybe we can cheer up Miss Lina as well!"

"I'll make two cakes, just for her!" she said determinedly. She went on to explain to Amelia how to get to her home, which was fairly close to the college.

Lina pulled up in her truck, and after securing both her own and Tohru's helmet, Amelia got on her motorcycle. Tohru, surprisingly enough, easily climbed on behind her and placed her feet on the pegs. Amelia, though Val had ridden with her many times, was nervous to have another rider. As she pulled out of the parking lot, with Lina following behind her, Amelia turned her concentration to remembering the directions and keeping her new friend safe.

* * *

He never believed that the simple act of putting on a shirt would hurt so damned much. Or putting pants on, either, for that matter. But regardless of how much dressing hurt, Zelgadiss finally began to feel normal again, or at least normal for him. He was finally going home.

Doctor Sohma had visited him earlier in the morning to give him the good news. He explained to him that he was scheduling a follow-up appointment with his regular doctor at the beginning of the year, and then he handed him two bottles of medication.

"There's vicodin for you to take as needed. One pill with milk or food, and allow at least six hours between doses. The next is antibiotics, two pills twice daily. You'll also need to change your bandages daily. Did the nurse show you how to do it?"

Zelgadiss nodded.

"Good. I wouldn't suggest any strenuous activities outside of rehab for the next month or so. Doctor Fairchild should be able to clear you to return to work after your next visit. As for driving, if at all possible, I suggest having a friend or family member drive you, especially if you're on vicodin. Other than that, you're all done here. I'll have the nurse come in with your discharge papers, and after that, you're a free man, Mister Greywords." He held out his hand.

Relieved at the prospect of leaving, Zelgadiss gave him a hearty handshake. "Thank you, Doctor Sohma. I just wanted to let you know that you're probably one of the best doctors I've had. Your family is lucky to have you as their doctor."

"Well, I understand determination when I see it, but I don't think I deserve any such praise. I might just be used to dealing with difficult patients." He smiled when he said it, and though Zelgadiss had initially bristled at the insinuation that he was 'difficult', he smirked.

"Yeah, I know. Doctor Fairchild is an excellent doctor, but he sometimes doesn't listen to what I have to say."

"I wouldn't either, if the request was to be released well before you were ready. But that's neither here nor there, is it?"

He had smiled again, and Zelgadiss had the distinct impression that it was something he probably didn't do very often. Several of the nurses had actually stopped what they were doing to poke their heads in the room to find out what was so funny. The doctor had left soon after that, and the nurse replaced him with several forms to fill out and sign before he would be allowed to leave. He dressed in the clothes that Gourry had brought to him the night before when he had given him his keys.

"Mister Greywords?" a voice said from the doorway.

Zelgadiss looked up to see an orderly standing there with an empty wheelchair before him. He sighed.

"Is that _really_ necessary?" he asked.

"Sorry, sir. Hospital rules. You get a free ride to the entrance."

"Fine. Let me just get my bag…"

He felt like an invalid as he rolled down the hall and into the elevator and out of the hospital. He had spent so much time trying to walk without flinching that he figured that he should at least be able to navigate the corridors and the entrance without help.

"Was someone picking you up, sir?"

"No. That should be my taxi right there."

He rolled right up to the waiting taxi and pushed himself up out of the chair. Zelgadiss thanked the orderly as the driver came around and opened his door for him. Once he was in, he pulled the door shut and allowed his eyes to pass over the front of the hospital.

The memory of another day, of when he had rushed Amelia here to the emergency room after Jordan's accident, rose up to intrude on his mental solitude. It was not an unwelcome thought, he discovered. He had tried to stop thinking about her before, but after five minutes, he determined that he'd have better luck trying not to breathe.

He wondered how Amelia must have felt when she had waited for _him_ in the emergency room. She must have been covered with his blood, terrified, sitting all alone, not knowing whether he was alive or dead…

His chest ached at the thought of her in pain.

"Straight to the address that was called in, right sir?" the driver asked.

"Yeah," he said, a little too loudly, startled from his thoughts of Amelia. "That's fine."

The drive home was short, and after paying the driver, he walked up to the front door, fumbled with his keys to open it, and dropped his bag down on the floor. Shutting the door behind him, he hobbled into the living room and eased himself onto his couch. Zelgadiss breathed a sigh of relief at being home and allowed his mind to drift.

He idly noticed that the front yard hadn't looked like he needed a machete to pass through it, and that the house was remarkably clean. The thought occurred to him that he probably needed to do grocery shopping soon unless he wanted to live off of pizza or Chinese food. His eyes roved the room, and took in the magazines arranged on the coffee table around his coaster set, the television and satellite controllers nestled next to that blue book on the end table, and the sunlight filtering through the French doors catching dust motes in its rays.

It was inevitable, though, that his thoughts would travel to his romantic predicament.

Amelia had never returned to visit him after he told her the 'truth'. Of course, the truth that he had uttered was just a pack of lies concocted to push her away. But did she know that they were lies? She must have known, he decided. She was a rational person, despite her penchant for jumping to conclusions. Once she calmed down, she would definitely see the inconsistencies of his words. She would know that they were lies. And how could she forgive him, knowing that he had lied to her?

He leaned his head back and put his hand over his eyes. It had all fallen apart, all because he was too afraid to let her into his life. The more he thought about Gourry's simple explanation of the events of three years ago, the more it all made sense. So it was his subconscious that prevented him from checking to make sure his gun was loaded? That was why, when he had Rezo dead in his sights, when he pulled the trigger, Eris was somehow faster? That was how a desk jockey got the drop on a S.W.A.T. member? He had actually pulled the trigger, but instead of a misfire, it was all the motivation that Eris needed to defend herself?

It was all too confusing. He lifted his arm and stared at his watch. When did Amelia say her classes were ending? She must be having her midterms now. He hoped she did well in them, despite the fact that he remembered that she shared a class with Val.

Ugh.

There was something else to think about.

"Forget it, Greywords," he grumbled to himself, and he tried fruitlessly to shake Amelia from his thoughts. "Get your life back together, stupid."

The light on his answering machine was blinking, and after he levered himself off of the couch, he pushed the 'play' button. As he walked into his office, he listened to the first five messages half-heartedly, taking stock of the condition of his desk as he scribbled down the names and numbers of the callers.

His mail was sorted neatly by week and type. Amelia apparently had separated out what looked like junk mail into a large stack off to the side. He'd toss or shred that stack later. For now, he pulled out his checkbook and began opening the oldest stack of normal mail, further separating out the bills.

The sixth message, however, caught his attention, and he replayed it.

"_Hiya, Zel. It's Naga. I don't know when you'll get this message, but if and when you do, I just wanted to let you know that you're the most hateful, self-centered, unfeeling bastard that I have the unfortunate pleasure of knowing, even more so than Xelloss. I want my file, and I want it yesterday. And if you say a word about anything in this to anyone, you won't be living in that pretty house of yours for very long. And so help me, if you do anything to hurt my sister ever again… Beep._"

Well, he knew that Naga would be pissed at him, he just didn't think that it would be _that_ bad. He tapped his pen on his message pad.

"Note to self: Slam your head on the desk after paying bills." He rubbed his face. "Damn. What else is new?"

He continued to open his mail as the messages continued to play. Before long, another one caught his attention.

"_Uh, hiya, Zel. It's me again. Hey, look. I'm sorry about that message I left before. I was angry about what happened with my sister, but I talked with her today. Um, I don't think she's angry with you. She's upset, but I don't think she's pissed or anything. I know it's not really my business anyway, but I just wanted to let you know. You can keep the file and continue your investigation if you're still interested. I was… out of line, I guess. Hey, can I make it up to you? Give me a call… Beep._"

Amelia wasn't angry with him?

Hope flickered in his heart, and for a second, he didn't know what to do with himself. He wanted to pick up the phone or drive to the bookstore to find her or wait for her at her home. He had his keys in his hands and was about to reach for the phone when he stopped himself.

What right did he have? Just because she wasn't angry with him didn't mean she wanted to see him.

She had moved on.

He felt like shoving the letter opener into his gut to commit seppuku.

"_Hello. This call is for Zelgadiss Greywords. This is Doctor Umeda, the therapist. Doctor Sohma gave me your number to set up your first appointment. I have an opening in the afternoon at four o'clock beginning tomorrow on the eleventh. We should be able to get a couple of weeks in before the holidays. I'll be unavailable from the twenty-fourth of this month to the fifth of January, but we'll discuss what you should be doing for that time when you come in. Give me a call if you have any problems with the date or the time. My number is…_"

Zelgadiss wrote down the name and number and hit the 'erase' button when the machine declared that it was the 'end of messages.' Trying, yet again, to rid his mind of thoughts of Amelia, he immediately picked up the phone and dialed the doctor's number. Getting the answering service, he left a message.

"Hi, Doctor Umeda. This is Zelgadiss Greywords. I just got your message, and I should be able to make that appointment. I just wanted to double-check the directions that Doctor Sohma gave me. I'm to meet you at South High, correct? I wasn't sure if that meant the actual school or the office buildings next door. Can you please give me a call back to clarify? Thank you."

Once he hung up the phone, he finished opening up his mail and sorting out the bills. After writing out the checks, tearing, licking and stamping, he finally had a small stack of outgoing mail. Finished with that task, he filed away the statements and tossed the empty envelopes and junk mail into the trash, which was surprisingly empty.

Amelia had even taken out the trash.

Damn. There he went again.

His eyes strayed to the hallway, and his mind completed the journey to the end table in the living room where he saw Amelia's blue book, exactly where she had left it over a month ago. A sudden thought occurred to him. He knew that she had come to check on his house, and to pick up his mail, but he never expected her to clean or tidy up after him. She had cleaned his house, but left her book where it was.

Did that mean that she expected to return? The tiny flame of hope in his chest flickered and grew just a bit at the thought of seeing her again. Trying to ignore it, he shook his head and picked up the phone again, dialing a familiar number.

"_Hello?_"

"Hi, Gourry? It's Zel.

"_Hey, Zel. Are you home now?_"

"Yeah. I'm just getting settled in. Are you busy tomorrow afternoon?"

"_Tomorrow? Yeah. Since I'm taking a week off for the New Year, Captain's got me working an extra shift now. I think he's trying to get as much out of me as he can before I move over to S.W.A.T._"

"Speaking of, how's it going?"

"_Okay, I guess._"

"Lina's still not talking to you?"

"_No. I didn't think she'd take it so hard. I thought she'd be happy for me, you know? But she just stood there looking at me. She didn't even say anything about it. She just said that she wanted to catch up with Amelia, and then she was gone._"

"She's a hard one to figure out sometimes," he said, trying to keep his voice even. He knew that Gourry must have met up with Amelia sometime last night to get his keys, but even still, just hearing her name fanned the longing in his heart. He silently hoped that Gourry would ask him about Amelia, or even just keep talking about her, but his friend was either too wrapped up in his own dilemma or he was afraid to broach the subject.

"_I'll call her tonight._" Gourry continued, and for a second, Zelgadiss wondered why he would call Amelia. Then he realized that they had been talking about _Lina_. "_Maybe we can talk some more about it. I don't even know exactly how she feels, anyway. She left so fast…_"

To his own surprise, Zelgadiss said, "She'll come around, Gourry. After all, wasn't she the one who suggested S.W.A.T. to you a couple of years ago?"

"_Well, yeah. I guess so. But that was before we were going out._"

'Going out.' How easily his friend said it. It was strange that two little words could change a relationship so much.

"Oh well. The only thing you can do is ride it out and find out where it takes you," he suggested, and stopped when he realized that he should probably heed his own advice.

"Well, if you're busy tomorrow, I'll figure something else out."

"_Sorry about that. What's going on tomorrow?_"

"I'm meeting with my physical therapist. I'll just catch a cab or something. I'll give you a call later, okay?"

"_Sure thing, Zel. Bye._"

After he hung up, Zelgadiss stared at the phone in his hand. It was useless to even try to stop thinking about her. He didn't know how it happened, but she had subtly become such a part of his life that it was difficult to think of his life _without_ her. He wondered what Amelia was doing, and even indulged himself in the hope that maybe, just maybe, she was thinking about him, too.

* * *

Thankfully, Amelia didn't get lost bringing Tohru home, and they all arrived at their destination safely. The grounds were rather extensive, and it was several moments after they turned down the driveway that they finally arrived at the house. It was a traditional Japanese house, and Amelia's eyes grew wide at the simple beauty of the tiled roof and the paper doors. They parked, and when Tohru got off the bike, the front door slid open.

"Hey, this is private property. Can I help you?" a young man asked. It was the same guy that Amelia had seen waiting for Tohru on Orientation day, the one with orange hair.

Tohru then finally pulled off her helmet and smiled brightly at him.

"Hi, Kyo! I invited a couple of my friends from school over. I hope you don't mind."

Amelia got off her bike and pulled off her own helmet. Lina slammed her truck door shut behind her.

"Tohru?" he asked, shocked to see her with a helmet in her hands. "You came home on a motorcycle? Are you nuts? You could've fallen off or something!"

"Oh, but Miss Amelia drove really carefully."

Amelia retrieved the helmet from Tohru and secured it on the back of her bike. "I made sure to be extra careful with her," she said cheerfully. Stepping forward, she held out a hand. "Hi! I'm Amelia Seyruun. Nice to meet you!"

The boy seemed nervous, but shook her hand. "Kyo. Kyo Sohma."

"And I'm Lina Inverse!" her friend said, bumping Amelia to the side. She took his hand and shook it vigorously.

"Uh, Tohru. I thought you said that the Yankee and the Wave girl were coming over," he said as the girls filed past him, taking off their shoes in the entryway.

"Oh, they are, but in another half hour or so. Uo is working and Hana has classes. I'll just have to make a couple more cakes for everyone, that's all."

The girls entered the family room and sat at the low table, while Tohru retrieved some refreshments from the kitchen. Returning with glasses of orange juice and a tin of butter cookies, she set them down in the middle of the table.

"Sorry. This is all we have right now. I didn't get the chance to go shopping yesterday," she apologized.

"Oh, that's fine," Amelia said, taking one of the glasses.

"Wow," Lina said after she took a swig of orange juice. "This is some place you've got here, Tohru!"

"Oh, it's not mine," she said, blushing. "The house belongs to Kyo's cousin, Mister Shigure. He's been kind enough to let me live here since my mom died a few years ago and my grandpa moved in with his daughter and her family. I get free room and board in exchange for doing all the housework."

"Oh," was all she said in return.

Lina seemed a little uncomfortable, and Amelia easily guessed why. Lina had once told her that it was strange, sometimes, to still have both parents, healthy and happy, when you were surrounded by friends who had lost one, or both; Filia was the only other one of their group who still had both parents, too. It made her feel strangely guilty at times.

"Kyo, where's Yuki?" Tohru asked.

The young man, who had sat down with his back against the wall, scowled. "How the hell am I supposed to know?"

Lina frowned. "Hey, that's no way to talk to her when she asked a simple question!"

Kyo appeared both repentant and irritated at the same time.

"Miss Lina," Amelia said, placing a hand on her arm. "We're guests here, remember?"

Before Lina or Kyo could say anything more, one of the doors slid open, and a man in his late twenties dressed in a yukata leaned in the room.

"Oh, my! Can this be true? Are there two lovely ladies visiting our precious Tohru today? I thought my cup was full with Saki and Arisa, and here are two more of dear Tohru's friends! Please pay no attention to that uncouth and vulgar young man sitting in the corner…"

"Hey!"

"…but rather, allow me to extend a warm welcome to my humble abode." He picked up first Lina's and then Amelia's hands, placing a delicate kiss on the back of each. "I am Shigure Sohma, your humble servant." He bowed low.

Kyo appeared disgusted. "That better be _all_ he's extending," he muttered. He whispered to Tohru, who was smiling widely, "You should have at least warned them about him, you know."

Amelia dutifully blushed at the gallantry, but a dark gleam appeared in Lina's narrowed eyes.

"Servant, huh?" Shigure appeared confused as he looked up from his bow at her. "Alright, Mister Servant. We need snacks. Lots of them! And I don't expect Tohru to cook everything. As I understand it, there are a couple more people coming over, and Tohru is going to be busy baking cakes, so someone else needs to get it! Come on." She snapped her fingers several times. "Time's a wasting!"

Caught off guard, he quickly regained his composure.

"Kyo!" he said loudly, pointing accusingly at the young man.

"What!"

"Don't be lazy! Go down and buy these ladies snacks and drinks! For Tohru's sake! So that she won't have to work so hard! Now! Chop chop!" He backed away from the imposing young woman before she could force him into any work. "Ladies…" he said, retreating into his room and bowing his head before the door slid shut.

Amelia thought that Kyo was going to refuse, but grumbling, he got to his feet and left the room. Tohru followed after him, and Amelia could hear them in the entryway.

"No, no. Don't worry about it. Have fun with your friends. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Okay. Did you want any particular kind of cake, Kyo? I'll make one special for you."

"Uh… Make me one that _you_ like. And hide it from that red-head."

Amelia glanced at Lina and was thankful that she hadn't heard that comment; she was too busy devouring the cookies in front of her.

Well, now was as good a time as any. "Um… Miss Lina?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask you. Are you upset about something that Mister Gourry said to you last night?"

Way to go for being blunt.

"Urk…" Or that's what it sounded like before she started coughing. Amelia patted her on her back.

"Are you okay, Miss Lina?" Tohru asked, coming back into the room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "Do you need some water?"

Lina nodded, and Tohru hurried into the kitchen. When she returned, Lina grabbed the glass, gulping down its contents. By the time the coughing subsided, Lina's face was red, and she seemed exhausted.

"Oh, good." Tohru looked from Lina to Amelia and back, and seemed to understand that now was the time that they needed to talk. "Well, if you're okay, I'll start cooking now." When Amelia nodded, Tohru withdrew to the kitchen, leaving the two girls alone.

"Hey, Amelia." Lina was resting her face on the table. Her cheek was squashed up against her mouth, and Amelia fought the urge to laugh. "How did you feel when you knew it was Zel in that hostage thing?"

Any urge to laugh suddenly vanished. It was several moments before she answered.

"I was scared, of course. I didn't know what was going on, but when he came home… I was relieved. I was… happy."

"Did he ever tell you what happened? What really happened to him out there?"

"A little. He told me what happened to Wen. He told me that Mister Gourry was safe."

"But he didn't tell you anything else?"

"No. Why, was there more?"

Lina closed her eyes. "It took me a while to piece everything together, but after talking to Gourry and from what little Zel told me, I think I know what happened. Zel was the only S.W.A.T. member out there that day. When Wen began threatening Gourry and was going to shoot him, Zel shot his hand. But it wasn't enough to stop him. Wen was going to shoot Gourry again, so Zel moved in and drew his fire. He could have died that day, just as easily as Gourry."

Amelia felt her hands grow cold. She never knew. It somehow made it worse that he was almost killed while he was working to try to protect her. Her heart sank at the memory of his eyes slowly closing as he stopped breathing. As he died… She shuddered.

_It's okay. He's alive. That's all that matters._

She missed him so much.

Lina opened her eyes and her face appeared troubled. "I always thought that being a regular patrol officer suited Gourry. It was dangerous enough being out there dealing with the public on a daily basis, that I didn't think he'd want to ever move on. Even when I told him that his marksman skills would be better served in S.W.A.T., I don't think I ever really thought that he'd take it to heart."

Her concern for her friend pushed any selfish thoughts aside and animated her leaden limbs. Amelia scooted next to Lina. "He's doing it, isn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, Miss Lina." She placed her hand on her friend's. "But is it something that he wants to do for himself?"

She lifted her head and stared at the cookie crumbs on the table. "I think so. I think he's tired of being passive when it comes to getting rid of the 'bad guys.' He said that he doesn't want to wait for the drugs to make it to the kids who end up becoming the problem. He wants to stop the real criminals, the drug makers and dealers, before they can even get that stuff out there."

"But that's a noble cause, isn't it?" It heartened Amelia to know that her friend was out there, fighting for justice.

"Noble, yeah, but I don't know how to take it. I'm worried about him, and he hasn't even started it yet."

"But, Miss Lina, he was a cop _before_ you became his girlfriend. Nothing's changed, except that his dangerous job just became a little more dangerous in some areas and a little less in others."

"How can you be so blasé about this?"

Amelia smiled a sad little smile. "Even a job like being a lawyer or a doctor or even a writer can still be dangerous, but you can't live your life in fear."

"Well said! Well said!" The girls jumped in surprise as the side door slammed open again. Shigure stood there wiping at his face with his yukata sleeve.

"Oh, the wisdom of age is spoken through the lips of youth." He knelt next to the two cringing girls who were not only astounded at his sudden appearance but at his lack of embarrassment at eavesdropping as well.

"Please, as a novelist myself, allow me to give you my humble assurances that being a writer is a dangerous business as well."

Amelia stared at him incredulously. "But I meant a journalist or something like that…" she whispered.

Shigure continued, not having heard her speak. "But this young lady is correct. We can't live our lives in fear. So Carpe Diem! We'll eat and drink and be merry…!" He threw his arms open wide and advanced on them, ready to catch them in his embrace.

_Smack!_

A good-looking young man with dark hair and dark eyes slammed a rather heavy book on the top of Shigure's head.

"Please forgive my cousin," he said with a smile, as if he did this sort of thing every day. "He can be very annoying at times. I take it you're Miss Honda's friends? I'm Yuki Sohma."

Snapping out of her shock, Amelia offered her hand. "Nice to meet you! I'm Amelia Seyruun, and this is my friend Lina Inverse."

"Oh. I remember seeing you at the college before school started."

"Yup! That was us!"

"Well, please. Make yourselves at home." Finally lifting the book off his cousin's head, Yuki grabbed Shigure's collar and dragged him away.

"But they were enjoying my company…" he whined as they disappeared up the stairs.

There was a commotion at the front door, and then Tohru returned, followed closely by two young women, a tall one with light brown hair who seemed vaguely familiar, and the other with long jet black hair and dressed all in black. Their eyes took in Amelia's and Lina's presence, and for a moment, Amelia felt as if they were under an x-ray machine being scanned for any malicious intent.

Tohru smiled happily as she made the introductions. "Uo and Hana, I'd like you to meet Miss Lina Inverse and Miss Amelia Seyruun. They're my friends from college. Miss Lina and Miss Amelia, I'd like you to meet Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima. They've been my best friends forever!"

"Nice to meet you," they all intoned together. The two newcomers took a seat opposite the two girls as Tohru ran to get more refreshments.

"So," Lina began. "Arisa and Saki, right? Why does Tohru call you 'Uo' and 'Hana'?"

Hana was the one who answered. "It's from her mother. She nicknamed us when we were younger, and the names just stuck. I think it's a nice reminder of her."

Silence followed, and the girls just looked at each other. Uo, in particular, seemed to find Amelia's face fascinating, because she just kept staring at her.

"I'm back!" came a voice from the entryway, and Kyo returned with several bags of goodies. Lina stood, and without being asked, ran over to him to relieve him of the snacks. He must have thought that her actions were unselfish because he seemed taken aback by her sudden appearance at his side and tried to refuse her help.

"Just let her help you, stupid," Yuki said, entering the family room.

"Who're you calling stupid?" Kyo bit back, as his efforts to keep the groceries away from Lina were becoming more intense.

"C'mon, gimme the bag!" she yelled, trying to reach around Kyo.

Yuki rolled his eyes. "Who do you think I'm calling 'stupid', stupid?"

Tohru came out to try to appease everyone. "Please…"

"Don't call me 'stupid', you rat!" Kyo growled, still trying to push Lina away.

She was beginning to get irritated. Cracking her knuckles, she demanded, "Hand it over!"

"Dammit! Leave me alone, you!"

"Please, don't fight…"

Just then, Uo's eyes widened, and she pointed at Amelia, blurting out in front of everyone, "That's it! I remember you! You were at Anderson, weren't you?"

Amelia felt the blood drain from her face. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing and were frozen in place, staring at her. The weight of their stares pressed down on Amelia, and she felt as if the walls were closing in on her. It was difficult to breathe.

Finally gathering the courage to answer, she took a breath, lifted her head and said clearly, "Yes."

Uo grinned and slammed her hand on the table, startling everyone from their shock.

"I thought so! You looked so familiar, but I couldn't quite place you. And then I remembered your name. I saw when you got into a fight with Wendy. Got sent up to solitary for that, didn't you?"

"Arisa…" Hana tried.

"Yes," she said, trying to appear unaffected by the fact that she had just met someone who knew all about the fact that she had been in juvie.

Uo leaned back. "Yup. That's how I remembered you. 'Solitary Seyruun' was your nickname behind your back. Geez. It's too bad I didn't get a chance to talk to you back then. They released me a couple of weeks after you got there."

"Arisa…" Hana tried again to stop her friend. Amelia's discomfort at being asked such questions radiated clearly through the room, and Yuki, Tohru and Lina all glanced at each other, silently agreeing to save her from her embarrassment. Unfortunately, however, Kyo didn't seem to have gotten the message.

"You did time in juvie, too?" he asked Uo, glancing warily at Amelia. When Uo nodded happily, he added, "You really _were_ a hard-core delinquent."

She snorted. "Yeah, but I didn't get into trouble my second day there. I've gotta give you a high-five for that one, Amelia!" She held her hand up, but thankfully, Hana had gotten up and grabbed her hand instead.

"Come, Arisa. Let's help Tohru get the snacks ready. You can catch up with Amelia privately later." Giving Amelia a sympathetic glance back, Hana helped Uo to her feet, and the girls disappeared into the kitchen. Yuki glared at his cousin before shaking his head and walking away. Lina, however, smacked Kyo across the back of his head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"Nothing. I just felt like hitting something and you were there," she said nonchalantly, plopping down next to Amelia.

"Dammit! What _is_ it with you girls? First, that damn Yankee, now these two…" he muttered as he walked away.

"You okay?" Lina asked, picking up the cookie crumbs on the table with the tip of her finger and dropping them on her napkin.

"Yeah."

Lina smirked. "Hey, don't forget. We're here to cheer up, remember? I guess there are some things we just have to live with, no matter what, huh?"

Amelia nodded. "The past. The present. I guess there's no reason worrying about what you can't change." She sighed.

"It'll work out. Come on. I promise that _I_ won't brood if _you_ don't."

That brought a smile to her face. "Okay," she agreed.

Lina put her arm around Amelia's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Thanks for being patient enough to be my friend."

"You, too, Miss Lina."

Things were much calmer when the other girls returned. Hana had apparently spoken to Uo, because the taller girl was more subdued as she served the juice and chips. Amelia and Lina offered to help Tohru in the kitchen, but were refused since they were guests. Hana explained to them that it made Tohru happy to be able to cook for all of them, and that their waves were rather pleasant, whatever that meant. They made small talk, finding out that Hana also went to DBU, but had classes clear across campus from Tohru this quarter, and that Uo worked two jobs nearby at a convenience store and at a cafe.

After a few minutes, they broke out the playing cards. After trying, and failing, to learn 'Rich Man, Poor Man', Amelia finally decided to sit out on the back porch. Lina was smiling and laughing again, and when Amelia appeared hesitant to leave her, she patted her on the hand and winked, giving her a thumbs-up that she was okay.

Lina had figured out the game quickly, and was now busy trying to beat Tohru, Hana and Kyo, who had joined them when Tohru had passed out each person's individual mini bundt cakes. Lina had two mango cakes, Uo had a mocha cake, Hana and Amelia both had chocolate cakes, and Tohru and Kyo both had spice cakes. Little did Lina know that Tohru had made six of each kind of bundt cakes and that the others were resting safely in the kitchen on top of the refrigerator.

Uo had gracefully given up her spot to Tohru, who sat between Kyo and Lina, and the game continued at a more peaceful pace.

"Hey there," Uo said, dropping down to sit next to Amelia.

Amelia tore her gaze away from the fountain and pond in the serene backyard setting. She smiled. "Hi, Miss Uo."

"Naw. None of this 'Miss' stuff, okay? Uo or Arisa is fine."

"Okay… Uo." It sounded weird to say it, especially when she used 'Miss' for her best friend.

"Hey, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to bring up… you know."

Amelia turned back to look out at the rippling water. "There's nothing to be sorry about. It's not like I ever really tried to hide it. It's not something that comes up at all in conversation, so I just don't go out of my way to bring it up. You know what I mean? But I would never lie about it. I was… surprised, that's all."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. If it weren't for Tohru's mom, I probably would have kept on banging. Luckily, she was there for me, and I was able to get my life turned around. It looks like you did, too."

"Yes. It was an experience that helped to put me straight. And I found out that there was even a bright lining to that dark cloud." She glanced back at Lina, who was cackling maniacally at the whole table. "Miss Lina helped me out of it, and became my best friend."

Uo looked over at the table and at Tohru, who was smiling happily at Lina's antics. "Yeah. If I hadn't been in a gang, I probably would never have met Tohru and her mom, or Hana either, for that matter. You'd do anything to make sure they stayed happy, huh?"

Amelia nodded. "I just wish I could do more for her."

Uo looked at her. "You know what? Sometimes just being there is enough."

Calm settled on Amelia, and for the first time that day, she felt at ease. She wasn't worried about Lina anymore, and, surprisingly, she wasn't worried about Zelgadiss. The comfort of friends, even new friends, helped to relax her.

"You're right. Just having her there was enough for _me_. Thank you, Miss Uo."

Uo opened her mouth to object again, but seeing Amelia's bright smile gave her pause. It was so like Tohru's that, for a moment, the older girl felt like hugging her. She contented herself with patting her on the back, and the two spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know their new friends better.

* * *

Zelgadiss looked at the slip of paper on which he had written the directions. The taxi had driven away when he had paid the driver, and now, he was standing in front of the high school looking quite lost. There were still a few straggling students milling around campus, laughing in groups or trying their hardest to look cool. A group of boys dressed in shorts and t-shirts came running out of the gate towards him. It looked like the cross-country team was setting off on a run.

Trying to be inconspicuous, he walked in the direction of the front office, but earned plenty of stares and whispers as he went. Feeling even more out of place than ever, he pushed open the door a little harder than was probably necessary in his rush to escape from sight.

"Ow!" somebody moaned behind the door.

Zelgadiss immediately pulled the door back and apologized.

"I'm sorry about that," he said, closing the door behind him. A girl with long black hair was sitting on the floor rubbing her nose. He offered a hand to help the poor girl up. "I… I didn't… I'm sorry."

She took his hand, and when she had pulled herself up and dusted herself off, she finally allowed her gaze to travel up to his face. Blinking twice, a smile lit up her face.

"You're Mis…" Her eyes narrowed in concentration. "Mister Zelgadiss, right?"

"Yes. How did…?"

"Oh, I'm Miwan. Remember?" She lowered her voice and looked around. The office was empty. "You saved me at the _Citadel_."

He looked surprised. "Oh. You don't go to this school, do you? I thought it's an all-boys school."

She shook her head and laughed. "It is. But, I don't go to school here. I work here."

"Oh."

"So what brings you here?"

"I'm supposed to meet with a 'Doctor Umeda', but I think I got the directions wrong…" He scratched his head embarrassed.

She smiled pleasantly. "You didn't get the directions wrong at all. He's the doctor here. Come with me. I'll show you to his office."

Relieved to have found someone who could help him, Zelgadiss followed Miwan obediently out the door. Walking on his own still took much out of him, and he was all too glad to walk with the young woman at a leisurely pace as she talked at him.

"It's strange that we should bump into each other like this again," she was saying as they walked down the hallways between the school buildings. "I was meaning to call you to thank you for helping me that night, but I guess I never got around to it. The men who were harassing me were sentenced to three months. I guess they'd be out by now, huh?"

They continued their stroll across campus, and Zelgadiss noticed that they were approaching the sports field.

"So the school has a resident doctor?"

"Yes. Since we're one of the top schools in the district in sports, much of the school's funding goes into the sports program. We're lucky to have Doctor Umeda. He treats any minor injury, but we've had a couple of students who were injured pretty badly over the years. He specializes in rehabilitation and chiropractics, so the students who were injured were able to return to playing in a matter of weeks."

"Is that safe for them?"

"Isn't that the reason you're here to see him? Rehabilitation?"

"How did you know?"

She stopped and smiled. She had a pleasant smile. "I'm his assistant during school hours. I noticed that you're limping pretty badly. And…" She reached up to his face, and Zelgadiss froze. Heat rose to his cheeks, but before he could protest she moved aside his hair. "…there's a recently healed scar here on your temple. I'm assuming you're seeing him to begin rehab today?"

She dropped her hand back to her side, and Zelgadiss pulled himself together, coughing into his hand.

"Yes."

"Then, then I hope your rehab goes well, Mister Zelgadiss. Here is Doctor Umeda's office. Next time you come, you can park on that street beyond the chain link fence. There's a private entrance to his office off the street. Well, I hope to see you again sometime," she said, indicating a set of double-doors at the end of the last building.

"Thank you."

As he pushed open the door, he paused to glance back at Miwan. She was humming to herself as she walked away, looking wistfully up at the birds in the trees. Zelgadiss was struck with a sudden and inexplicable fondness for the young woman. She was very pleasant to talk with, and there was something familiar about the way she treated him…

_Oh, Amelia…_

"Can I help you?" a voice asked from inside the office, and Zelgadiss stepped inside. The office was starkly simple, with a large cabinet filled with medication and medical supplies dominating one wall and a workstation along the other. To his right was a long room, but it was sectioned off by curtained dividers.

"Sorry about that. I'm Zelgadiss Greywords, here to see Doctor Umeda."

A young man wearing a lab coat, perhaps about Doctor Sohma's age, was sitting at the desk. His brown eyes appraised Zelgadiss from behind his glasses, but before Zelgadiss even had a chance to feel uncomfortable, he smiled.

"Yes, well, you're a bit early, aren't you, Mister Greywords? Good to meet you. I'm Doctor Umeda. Since you're here, we'd might as well start." He handed Zelgadiss a clipboard with several forms and a pen attached to it. "Have a seat and fill out those forms for me, please."

Zelgadiss took a seat at the desk and began filling out the paperwork. He was beginning to have his doubts about this doctor. The fact that he was only a few years his senior did not bother him, but the fact that he was a high-school doctor did. This was the man that Doctor Sohma recommended?

Once he had finished completing the forms, the doctor scanned the pages, nodding or making interested sounds as he read.

"It says here that you were injured in the line of duty before. Tell me about that."

Unsure of what that had to do with anything today, he began, "Well, I was injured when a bomb detonated earlier than was anticipated. It was a chemical weapon bomb and I received burns over fifty percent of my body. I also suffered secondary reactions to the chemicals. I was in treatment for about six months before I was cleared for release."

"And what can you tell me about your most recent injuries?"

"I was shot, once in both legs, once in the shoulder, and twice in the abdomen; one bullet grazed my temple; internal injuries to my left lung. As for other internal injuries, you'll have to ask my doctor."

"Alright then. I think we'll start you out today with something simple. If you'll follow me, we can begin."

Zelgadiss stood and followed him past the curtained dividers into another section of the room. There floor was covered with thick padding in a section fifteen feet long. Beyond that was a full workout machine, complete with weights, as well as a treadmill, a stationary bike, and a step machine.

"Next time you come, you may find it easier for you if you wear something more comfortable. Shorts and a t-shirt or sweats. There's a shower in the restroom if you need. Today will be easy, so you don't have to worry about changing."

Zelgadiss looked down at his clothes. What was wrong with running pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt?

"First, we'll start off with the basics. Stretches and then some simple calisthenics. Shoes off. Stand on the mat."

Used to taking orders, Zelgadiss did as he was told, and removed his shoes. Standing in the middle of the mat, he began doing the stretches that Doctor Umeda demonstrated, trying to remember the correct form when he was corrected. Push-ups weren't that difficult, but sit-ups were more taxing, and after only twenty of the latter, he could barely lift his head from the mat.

"Hm…" Umeda began. "You were in fairly good shape prior to the shooting, correct?"

"Yes."

"How many sit-ups would you say you could do?"

"A damn more than twenty, that's for sure," he growled, angry with himself for being so weak.

"Really? I couldn't tell by watching you."

He slammed his fist into the mat, cursing Dilgear for shooting him and dying before he could kill him himself. Umeda smirked.

"What's so damned funny?" Zelgadiss asked, sitting up and glaring at the man. He found himself liking the good doctor less and less.

"That's more like it," Umeda leered. He leaned down until he was eye-level with Zelgadiss. "Now give me ten more of those, and then you're on the treadmill for half an hour." He walked over to the treadmill and began tapping buttons on it. "You wanted intense rehab, didn't you, Zelgadiss?"

Grumbling to himself, he lay back down and fought through the pain to give him ten more sit-ups. He was going to get back up to one hundred percent if it killed him.

* * *

Doctor Umeda's way of dealing with his patients was absolutely nothing like Doctor Sohma's. He was painfully blunt when it came to how Zelgadiss was doing and where he expected him to be in his progress. After walking on the treadmill, he spent thirty minutes a piece on the stationary bike and the step machine. By the time he got home, he was questioning his sanity in going to this doctor.

But he'd be damned if he would get the better of him.

So Zelgadiss focused all his energy on doing _more_ than what Umeda asked of him. By Monday, he had already progressed to the weight machine, and by that Friday, sit-ups were the easy part of the day.

Umeda checked his bandages each day once he began the more intensive exercises. It was an uncomfortable time for Zelgadiss since the doctor hardly said anything at all to him during the day. Filling the air with useless chatter was something that he usually didn't do, but for some reason, he felt inclined to make small talk.

"So, how is it that the school allows you to run a business and have patients on their property?"

Umeda looked at him over the top of his glasses. He had been replacing the bandage on Zelgadiss' stomach while he was smoking, something that he often did. He finished what he was doing before taking a long drag of his cigarette.

That was another thing. What kind of doctor treats a patient while smoking?

"I may be paid well by the school, but they take a lot of it back with the rent on this place." He blew the smoke up into the air. "These are my private offices, despite being on school grounds. I pay rent to the school district to keep it, but because I do, I can have my own practice. Outside of school hours, I take only private clients, and they don't go onto the campus at all. Too much of a liability risk. It can be inconvenient, but at least I get the same vacations that the school does."

He backed up and snuffed out his cigarette in the ash tray.

"I'm surprised you asked. You usually are rather… unpleasant towards me." He smirked as he sat back, staring at Zelgadiss.

"Yeah, about that…" he began, but was cut off.

"Doesn't matter. As long as you're angry at me, you're not being angry at yourself. I've found that people who are angry at themselves tend not to do very well when they try to push their limits. They tend to get hopeless and begin to feel sorry for themselves. You, however, seem to keep pushing your own limits every day."

Zelgadiss stared at him. So that was why he had been so… so… Xelloss-like.

He rubbed the back of his head. "I just want to get better as soon as possible. I'm sorry if I've been less than polite to you."

Umeda waved him off. "Don't worry about it. You actually remind me of someone, so I'm used to it."

Zelgadiss grimaced. "Someone you hate, no doubt."

"As a matter of fact, quite the opposite. He's someone I love very much." Zelgadiss paused in the middle of putting his shirt back on. "Oh, don't worry, Zelgadiss," Umeda continued, laughing. "I'm not hitting on you. I'm just saying that I'm used to being treated badly by men who have a good face, a good brain and a bad personality."

He finished putting on his shirt and sat back. "A good face? Get real."

"But you're okay with having a bad personality?" He laughed. "The chemical burns may have scarred you, but it didn't destroy your looks. If the way you look bothers you so much, why don't you have plastic surgery? If you can afford _me_, then you can afford the surgery."

"Why? So I can have a face that's not my own?" he scoffed.

"The marvels of modern medicine can give you your old face _back_."

He thought about it. In a way, he was right. He could look the way he did before he was destroyed.

Umeda stared at him. "Don't tell me that this is the first you've thought of it."

"Of course not. I just… I would feel as if I were wearing a mask if I did. I guess, somehow, I would feel as if it weren't the real me."

"So, you're afraid that someone will only like you for your new face and not the one you have now? What would it matter if you looked the way you did before a bomb blew up in your face?"

"It would matter!" he yelled.

Immediately, he felt bad for raising his voice. Umeda merely raised his eyebrow in surprise.

"Surely, in three years, someone has seen you the way you are, knows you with all your lovely personality quirks, and likes you anyway?"

"Well…" His thoughts ran to his friends, and then inexorably to Amelia. "Yes."

"Then what's wrong with her? Or… him?"

"_Her_," he confirmed. "And I'm not so sure she likes me much nowadays. After all, I've got a bad personality, remember?"

"What happened to her?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "I said some things. Hurt her bad. I'm afraid I'll hurt her again."

Umeda sighed. "Everybody hurts the ones they love. _Especially_ the ones they love. That's why it hurts so much, because we entrust such a delicate part of ourselves to another person. So when our heart and our love is mishandled, it feels like we can't breathe, like we're dying. But when love goes both ways, the hurt also goes both ways."

Zelgadiss blinked. So that was why he ached at the thought of what he did to her?

"The only thing we can do is overcome the hurt and learn how to forgive. Someone close to me once said, 'You can never have the same love twice.' Well, he was right. Love evolves as you grow from your experiences. You can't change the past, but you can learn from it. But the first step is apologizing."

He picked up his schedule and began flipping through it. Zelgadiss let his mind sift through what the good doctor had just told him. He couldn't change the past no matter how much he wanted to. He would just have to wait to see where circumstances took him, and if they allowed him to cross paths with Amelia, he was determined to, at the very least, apologize to her. If anything, maybe he could regain the friendship he had lost.

"Geez, you sound like a shrink."

"Sometimes I feel like one. After all, I work with teenagers all day long, and some of them have relationship problems that make ours pale in comparison."

Zelgadiss shook his head. "I've got to apologize, Doctor Umeda."

"What for?"

"For having a bad attitude," he said seriously. "I had a negative opinion of you when we first met, but I was definitely wrong."

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them.

Finally, he answered, "Thank you, Zelgadiss." Coughing into his hand, he declared, "Well, then, back to business. The day after tomorrow will be our last session of the year. I'll be back on the fifth. During the break, I still want you to do your exercises to the best of your abilities. If you don't have the work-out equipment, then at least do the stretches, the calisthenics, and at least an hour of aerobic exercise."

Zelgadiss nodded, once again glad to be focusing on getting stronger. He hadn't thought much about Amelia the past week and a half since his mind was consumed with rehab, but now that he had actively thought about her, it was difficult to erase her from his mind.

"I'll have to keep you from doing any kinds of sports, even the low-impact ones. Definitely no martial arts," he said, tapping Zelgadiss' shins with his pen, "and no extreme sports. I don't want to come back and find out that we've got to overcome a broken leg or arm because you were stupid enough to go skiing or something."

Yeah, like he was going to be going anywhere at all.

Umeda then stood and walked Zelgadiss to the door. Before he left, though, he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"In fact, if you ask my opinion on what the best workout would be for you to do, I actually have a great suggestion."

"What is it?"

"Sex," he stated simply.

"_What?_"

"Sex," he repeated. He smirked at Zelgadiss' reddening face. "Now, of course, I don't suggest anything illegal, but if you have a willing partner, it's something that you can do every day, and is fairly low impact. Just don't try to support her weight for very long…"

"Hey!"

"… and remember to stretch first."

With that, Umeda winked and smiled, and then closed the door in his face. Zelgadiss stared at the closed door for a moment before turning on his heel. He didn't have any other choice but to return to his car and go home. The problem, now, was that his mind was filled with thoughts of exercising with Amelia…

* * *

Zelgadiss hadn't gotten much sleep that night since Doctor Umeda had made that crack about exercising over the holidays. Though, from the moment he had met Amelia, he had found her attractive and likable, he had never allowed his thoughts to stray much farther than his hands ever did. It was difficult not to appreciate her beauty and the fact that she was _way_ more developed than Lina was, but he had always tried to keep his thoughts focused on what she was saying or what they were doing.

Now, however, his mind kept wandering to the things his mind took in that he hadn't allowed himself to acknowledge, like the way she _bounced_ when she walked, or that her legs went _all_ the way up, or that he'd sometimes allow her to get the upper hand during their sparring matches _just_ so that he could feel her pressed up against him…

"Pervert." He banged his head on the steering wheel. "Damn, that stupid Umeda."

Zelgadiss was sitting in his car in the parking lot of the police station. He had decided to do something he had been putting off since he was released from the hospital. At least he could walk now without limping, so he strode into the building with his back straight. Immediately, it was a case of déjà vu. Several of his fellow officers greeted him with a smile or a handshake or a pat on the back. He had always thought of himself as a lone wolf, someone who didn't have many friends, yet here he was being greeted like a long-lost buddy.

_You need to have a good support group around you…_

Captain Mitchell was on the phone when he arrived at his office, but seeing Zelgadiss there, he waved him inside. Zelgadiss took a seat and waited while he finished his conversation.

"Yes. Of course, Mister Mayor. I'll make sure I assign an extra detail to cover crowd control the last week of January. Do you think we'll need to mobilize our mounted unit? They _are_ the best we have at crowd control. Okay, I'll make sure I notify them. Understood, sir. You're welcome. Of course. Goodbye, Mister Mayor."

He hung up the phone, and Zelgadiss sat up straighter. "The Mayor of Kataart is coming to town next month on a public tour," the Captain explained. "You know, the whole 'strengthening the bond of peace' spiel. So, Mayor Ul Copt is going to host a social at his mansion after the parade and rally. We've just been commissioned to provide extra security for both events."

"Was there a threat?" Zelgadiss asked, concerned.

"No. But you never can tell anymore. I'd rather be overprotective now than regretful later."

"I should be back to one hundred percent by then, Sir," he offered, wondering if he would be allowed back to work by then. "My therapist said that I'm making some pretty good progress…"

"That might not be necessary, Greywords."

His heart sank. "Yes, Sir."

"Now, I'm not saying that S.W.A.T. is not for you, but you have to consider the facts. This is twice now that you've been injured while on duty…"

"The other was for Atlas City."

"Be that as it may, I think we might have to reconsider your current assignment."

For the first time in a month, Zelgadiss feared for his job. They couldn't bust him down for getting shot, could they?

"I've already told your old partner that there was going to be a spot opening up for him next year…"

Zelgadiss cut him off. "Wait. You offered Gourry _my_ job?" he wondered incredulously.

"Well, after our talk today, I don't think you'll be going back to S.W.A.T."

"But… but, Sir…" he tried, but this time, it was Mitchell's turn to cut him off.

"I've already spoken at length with Lieutenant Bayner and Commander Dane, and they're of the same opinion." He opened his drawer and removed something that looked like a wallet. Before Zelgadiss had a chance to wonder what it was, the Captain tossed it to him. "You're being re-assigned to Captain Meyer's unit. He would have been here to tell you himself, but he's on vacation."

Zelgadiss stared at the item he had caught, turning it over in his hands and hardly daring to believe what he had just heard. Opening it up, he saw that it held his badge and a new ID, complete with the word "Detective" before his name. He looked up in disbelief.

"Are you serious, Sir?"

"If I'm not, that's an expensive joke. Besides, you've been doing the some of the detectives' work for them in your last assignment. It was a natural transition for you to make."

He was sure he was smiling. "I… I don't know what to say."

He laughed. "Don't say anything. Just shake my hand." Zelgadiss did just that. "Your father would be proud."

"Thank you, Sir."

"So since you'll be sitting a desk more than you're used to, you can take your time getting back to 'one hundred percent'."

He stared at his badge, glad to have it back, but even happier to see that he had gotten what he really wanted after such a long time. Maybe now, he could finally make some headway into his own case, as well as…

"Sir?"

"Yes, _Detective_?" It seemed that the Captain was as proud as he was.

Zelgadiss couldn't help but smile. "I was wondering who was assigned to the Seyruun case."

"That was Ann's case, but she's transferred to Atlas City, and that case is closed."

"I think there's more to it than we all thought," he explained. "I put it in my report, that whole thing with Dilgear coming back from the dead. And the way he died, Sir. It sounds so familiar…"

"Okay, okay," he said, putting his hands up to stop him. "I'm not the one doing the investigating. I'll let Captain Meyer know that you're re-opening it. But he'll want you active in a month, Zelgadiss. After that, you'll have to show him something pretty substantial in order to keep it open with _you_ on it."

"I hate to ask, but is there any way I can take a look at the evidence and the reports now?"

He sighed. "All right. Follow me."

Zelgadiss felt his heart racing, at everything that was happening. Not only had he been made a detective, but he was also going to be able to _do_ something about the Seyruun case, as well as his own. Maybe now, he'll finally be able to get some answers.

They walked down the hall, not to the evidence room, but to one of the interrogation rooms. Zelgadiss wondered where they were going and why. He was about to ask, when Captain Mitchell suddenly stopped and opened one of the doors. He stepped back to allow Zelgadiss inside.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight that met him.

Numerous evidence bags were sorted out on the table beside the report which lay open before a young woman who was sitting there, poring over the contents. As he stepped inside, she looked up from the file and her eyes grew wide.

But it was Zelgadiss who found his voice first.

"A… Amelia!"

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone! I've been told that I'm evil for stopping when I did, but it's necessary, you know: hooks you in for the next chapter! Thank you all so much for continuing to read. Though it's been tough for me recently, I try to make up for my lack of updates in quantity and quality. I hope I don't disappoint. We are _finally_ getting to the meat of the story, and from here, more will be revealed as the characters progress. I hope some of you have picked up on the clues I've dropped along the way, but if you haven't, don't worry. I will be clearing up the questions as we go. As always, you guys motivate and inspire me, and I always love hearing from you!

There were quite a few cameos in this chapter, and I hope I did them all justice. Orphen and Cleao are from Orphen; she _is_ quite an accomplished swordswoman. Hatori, Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Shigure, Hana and Uo are all from Fruits Basket. (Though I didn't allude to the whole curse thing, I didn't say it wasn't there either. It is meant to be taken at face value.) Doctor Umeda is from 'Hana Kimi' and is the doctor at the all-boys school; he is a _very_ interesting character. This was fun, but this is still a Slayers fic, so if non-Slayers characters show up in future chapters, they will be few and far between.

A quick note on Val's fighting styles. Though we won't see him fighting anymore (I think), he knows a variety of styles. First, kali and escrima (Filipino martial arts) are his primary style, learned from a very young age in Kataart and mastered (yes, even at age eight). Essentially the same, escrima is an empty-hand, two-handed fighting style that was born of street fights in the Philippines. Kali incorporates weapons, usually kali sticks or knives. (This is what Matt Damon had to learn for 'The Bourne Identity'.) Next is jiu-jitsu and Krav Maga, his secondary styles that he picked up when Gaav adopted him. He knows some moves: the ones that are the most effective for taking down and taking out an opponent. I chose this mix of styles to show the mix of his powers from the anime.

And as always, thank you to everyone who continues to read, and _hugs_ to everyone who's reviewed. I will continue to answer your reviews – after all, they mean a lot to me, and I want you to know that I read them all: **Muffles** (Yes, I think the relationships are similar, but since I'm a hopeless romantic, Zel and Amelia's story will be much happier than Hatori and Kana's. Thank you for your thoughts!), **Ichiban Victory** (Time to reflect after a fight tends to allow for clearer thinking – and many 'Darn it! I should have said…' At least Zelgadiss has discovered his error and the solution. Now if only he can follow through. And I'm glad you're wondering about why Eris. She's awfully shifty, don't you think?), **Maddy02** (I don't think I ever thanked you for signing my guestbook, so thank you bunches! You get a brownie for being the first – and _sigh_ only one, too. Though Gourry asking Amelia for the keys wasn't as awkward as it could have been, that whole conversation opened up another can of angst. I just can't seem to get away from that, can I? And btw, thanks for the tip on the Supreme Elder. With regards to Christopher and Alfred, funny you should mention them. Things will actually be explained in the next chapter, but it will probably bring up _more_ questions. Miwan's here, but not integral to the story – she-he will be back soon. And Sylphiel will be getting her own WML chapter. I'm still working on it, and I'll explain things in that one. And as for the device… you get another brownie, but I won't say for which one!), **Stara Maijka** (Ah, Xel and Val's mutual dislike really stems from their concern over Filia. Xel can't forgive Val for physically hurting her, and Val can't forgive Xel for emotionally hurting her. I think it's about time Filia puts her foot down. And Zel found out about Gourry when his Captain visited him in the hospital. I hope this chapter helps to explain why it happened and how it affected the people around him. Again, thank you for the inspiration!), **e-chan 16** & **Rukia-sama** (Thanks so much! I'm glad that you guys are enjoying the unfolding story, slow as it has been), **Kaeru Shisho** (I agonize every day that I haven't been able to get caught up on reading your fic – I think I'm going to have to print it out or something so I can read it at my leisure. I cry that I'm 13 chapters behind… I'm so flattered that you are doing Val x Amelia in it, because your fics are _such_ an inspiration to me. Zel is growing more and more, because he's learning to open up to people more, something he's definitely learned from Amelia. We'll see more of Xelloss and Filia soon, and hopefully the sparks won't fly too much. Thank you so much again!), **Aisha C** (Hatori is one of those characters who, like Zelgadiss, is misunderstood at first, but when you discover the source of their angst, is just a regular guy trying to make the most out of a bad past. I think they'll both figure things out sooner or later!), **Lina Gabriev** (You poor thing! I'm glad you're okay, and the person who told you the end of the Harry Potter book should be slapped. We'll find out where on Amelia it is in a couple more chapters. One of my other reviewers actually guessed it, but it's one of two possible places and I'm not telling yet. Eris is a mysterious individual with strange motivations, but she really _was_ worried about Zel, so I don't know if I'd call her downright evil. Zel would, though. Filia knew about Xelloss taking Amelia to the prom, but she doesn't much care about it – she's got him now. Thanks again!), **Xeria Malstrum** (I'm sorry for not keeping in touch either. I feel like a mole, sometimes, as if when I pop my head out for some fresh air, someone with a huge mallet will crack me over the head with it. Thanks for the positive feedback on Gourry. I always thought there was more to him than meets the eye, so I'm trying to make him a more rounded character. As for Filia and Xel, you're right. She's definitely the more mature of the two, yet she still falls prey when he puts his lawyer face on. She'll get him good one day, and he'll understand that he can't always have things his way. I'm here whenever you're ready), **jesphoenix05** (You're a nut, but one of the good ones. Like a peanut; this is technically not a nut but a legume and, therefore, one that I can stand. Angst boy is going to be removed of his angst hat soon, but not before the sparks fly! I've waited so long for the upcoming chapters, and I hope you'll enjoy the broody-person-fest! Ah, angst, lovely angst…)

Lastly, my thoughts go out to anyone in the areas affected by Katrina. I hope if you are able to read this, it brings some brightness to your day.

Click the button and review!


	31. Presents and Secrets

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 31**

_**Presents and Secrets**_

Amelia couldn't believe how much information there was to be found on her family's most recent troubles. Her father had arranged it with Captain Mitchell for Amelia to have access to the file and evidence, so she had gone down to the police station a couple of days before Christmas, since that was the only time that the Captain had available for her. She hadn't minded waiting; she had been too busy helping to get the house ready for their Christmas Eve party.

She was told that she could only look at the items and read the report. She wasn't to take anything from the interrogation room where they had set her up with the boxes of evidence. She felt that, although they had complied with her father's request, they had done so grudgingly.

They hadn't even allowed her to bring in a pen and paper to take notes.

So she looked at the evidence bags, with their varying contents. The actual threatening letters, with their cut-and-paste sentences, pieces of a charred briefcase, and even several bags containing her jewelry, blackened or destroyed by the fire. Amongst these, she found the necklace that Xelloss had given to her for her birthday. It was hardly recognizable, since the fire had burnt so hot that it melted the metal into a gob around the sapphire.

She shuddered again at the thought that someone had not only been in her house, but had rooted through her room to steal her jewelry. Who knew what else he had looked at or touched? Her father and sister had spent many hours convincing her not to burn all her clothes. Instead, she had settled for washing every single bit of clothing she owned.

Looking at her watch, she realized that it was approaching two o'clock, and she hadn't eaten lunch yet. Had she already been there for three hours? Wishing that Captain Mitchell would allow her back soon so she could pore over the contents of the four evidence boxes, she slowly began replacing the items in the boxes. She still had no idea why this man had spent so much time and effort just to steal jewelry that was worth hardly more than a few hundred dollars.

One of the letters caught her attention, and she returned to her seat to examine it. This one was just a piece of a letter, since the rest of it had burnt away. There was something odd about it, but she couldn't quite place what it was. She flipped open the report and began to read through it, trying to get the timeline correct in her head.

That was when the door opened. Figuring that her time was about up, her eyes scanned the page as quickly as she could before she was told to leave. She felt, rather than saw, someone enter the room, and she tore her eyes away from the file and looked up.

"A… Amelia!"

Their eyes met, and her heart dropped into her stomach and then raced into her throat, choking off anything that she was about to say. Zelgadiss was standing before her, looking as shocked as she was. She had always hoped to see him again, to make sure he was okay, even if he didn't want to have anything to do with her, but meeting like this was so completely unexpected, that she was at a complete loss for words.

Captain Mitchell poked his head around Zelgadiss to regard her.

"Ah, yes. Miss Seyruun is here looking at what we have on the case. Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked her kindly, albeit a bit impatiently.

"No. I… I mean yes," she stammered, breaking eye contact. The spell was broken. She stood quickly, almost knocking over her chair in the process, and picked up her backpack. "I'm done here, Captain. Thank you for letting me take a look at all of this."

Zelgadiss just stood there, watching her gather her things. She was fumbling with her backpack, struggling to zip it up, and he could see that she was visibly shaking. He wondered if she was as shocked as he was at seeing her again; _his_ heart was beating so rapidly that he feared he would pass out.

Amelia stepped around the table and moved to the door, but he remained where he was. It wasn't like he was blocking the door. He just wanted to tell her, to apologize and ask her to forgive him.

"Excuse me," she said, squeezing past him. Her arm brushed his, but before he could halt her, she was out into the hallway. "Thank you again, Captain," she called back as she walked away. Zelgadiss placed his hand on his arm, on the spot where she had touched him, wondering why she had kept her eyes anywhere but on him.

"It's about time," Mitchell grumbled. "I don't mind doing favors for old colleagues, but this was too much for Philionel to ask. Well, Zelgadiss, here are the boxes. If you take them home, just make sure you let the evidence room know that you've got them. Do all the paperwork, okay?" With that, he turned and stalked back to his office.

Zelgadiss nodded absently, but his mind was still processing the fact that the outgoing, lively, fun-loving young woman had just looked at him as if she were horrified by what she saw. He felt as if he'd been slapped in the face with a cold fish. She couldn't even _look_ at him. She wouldn't even talk to him. Had he hurt her so badly that she wouldn't even acknowledge his presence? Oh, what had he _done_?

No.

No!

He _had_ to make things right.

He turned and took off down the hallway, trying his hardest not to run, but by the time he made it to the entrance, several of his co-workers were staring at him, wondering why he was rushing. Bursting out of the front doors, he scanned the parking lot for any sign of Amelia. He'd find her and apologize. He couldn't bear to have her look through him as if he weren't there.

Zelgadiss had just taken a step towards the parking lot when a motorcycle raced by. The driver turned her helmet to regard him as she passed, but just as quickly, revved the engine and passed him by. He watched her drive away, and felt as if the rift between them was finally revealed to be a huge chasm with no easy way across. What would it take to bridge the gap?

* * *

Amelia tried to calm her breathing. Did he really chase after her? Did he really follow her out of the police station to talk to her? Why did she keep driving? Why didn't she just stop to find out what he wanted? 

It was because she was afraid. She was afraid of what he would say to her, afraid that she was right that he didn't love her at all. She didn't want to hear that he didn't care about her. It was easier imagining that they had just fallen out of touch with each other, and that one day, he'd come back into her life like nothing had happened between them.

She was a coward.

What was the point of hoping things would go back to the way they were when she wouldn't let them?

Torn between her guilt at not having given Zelgadiss a chance and her aching heart at having treated him like a stranger, Amelia found herself in tears. She managed to make it home without incident, and she immediately yanked off her helmet. Wiping her cheeks with her sleeve, she forced herself to calm down. Sure, she could give advice to Lina or Filia, but when it came to taking her own advice, she bucked at the thought.

Frustrated beyond words, she went inside and ran up to her room. Shutting the door behind her, she allowed herself to cry into her pillow. It wasn't fair.

None of it was.

* * *

Amelia didn't have a chance to feel sorry for herself or dwell upon the uneasy facts of the previous day. Christmas Eve was way too busy a day for any selfish thoughts. She awoke at six o'clock and helped Beth with breakfast. Afterwards, it was up to her and Jordan to make sure the hundreds of candles were positioned correctly around the house, out of the reach of little hands and out of the way of tipsy guests. 

This year's motif was supposed to be a 'brilliance of lights'. Hundreds of tiny lights decorated the entire house, both inside and out. The front yard was simpler than many of the houses in the neighborhood; there were no animatronic Santas or huge snowmen in the front yard. Icicle lights draped from the roof around the whole house and large red velvet bows hung beneath each of the upstairs windows. The roundabout and walkway was lit by globes of light and decorated with red and white poinsettias. The front door had a huge pine wreath complete with pine cones, plaid ribbons, and miniature apples.

Inside, the twelve-foot tall Christmas tree was set up in the foyer as it was every year, in the curve of the stairway. Delicate silver and gold ribbons cascaded down the tree amidst the plethora of hand-blown glass balls and highly polished metal ornaments. Twinkle lights blinked in and out among the branches, and a beautiful glass star brilliantly lit the very top of the tree. The base was covered by a thick silver and white skirt, embroidered with the Seyruun family crest in golden thread. Several presents had already found their places beneath the beautiful branches.

Holly and pine garlands intertwined with strands of lights decorated the living room. There were wooden nutcrackers and tin soldiers stationed on the mantelpiece and on the tables, along with twig balls filled with glowing spheres, pine cone baskets filled with potpourri, and a set of wooden reindeer and a sled, as well as a hand-carved nativity scene. Beautiful red velvet bows punctuated the room where the pine garlands were tied back. Candles were set all along the mantle and within small red and gold hurricane lamps.

The dining room was awash in light. A thin white gauzy fabric was draped around the door and window frames, held in place by silver cherubs, and lit from behind with white and blue lights. The dining table was covered by a lace runner over a silver tablecloth, on which rested several platters and trays, cake stands and tiered serving dishes. Several large candles were lined up along the middle of the table, resting on blocks that would keep them above the level of the food that would eventually be served on the awaiting trays. On a side table sat a huge glass punchbowl atop a silver-tinged pine wreath, empty now, but which would eventually be filled with Beth's infamous wassail.

Lights continued out to the backyard, where larger Christmas lights twined around the pergola, and the holly and pine garlands hung from the beams. Pots of poinsettias were clustered around the pool and the barbeque, while ivy topiaries were decorated with lights and large red bows. More hurricane lamps were set on the tables, surrounded by colorful wreaths.

And although Amelia swore that she would wring his neck if he did it, Jordan had placed mistletoe in strategic places around the house.

So she was already regretting not finding him earlier to smack him around when the first guests arrived for the party at five o'clock. Amelia opened the door to greet Filia and her family. They filed in, placing their presents beneath the tree and giving their coats to Beth. Wondering where Val was, Amelia waited at the open door until he came loping up the steps to join her.

"I was worried that you weren't coming," she said as she gave him a hug. She had chosen to wear a red plaid skirt over black tights, with a white blouse and a green ribbon tie, but after waiting outside for him, she was debating changing to something warmer.

He was dressed rather conservatively in black slacks and a dark green sweater, but apparently, the sweater was more form than function.

"Are you going to let me in, or do I have to wait for a formal invitation?" he asked through chattering teeth.

Before she could let him inside, though, Jordan let out a loud, "Oooooooh!" and pointed above the door.

Damn him.

They both looked up, and sure enough, a sprig of mistletoe hung limply above them. Amelia glanced around, and saw that, not only was Filia's family there, but her father and Beth, as well. Behind Val, she saw Lina and her family coming up the walkway.

Damn him!

"Well, go ahead and kiss her," Lina yelled from outside.

Val smirked and shrugged. Defeated, Amelia sighed. At least it was Val. He leaned down and kissed her innocently. There were no fireworks, no surging of emotions. It was just two friends sharing a kiss under the mistletoe. As they pulled apart, she smiled up at him and shook her head.

He winked at her, and she punched him in the arm. Everyone clapped and laughed, and Amelia immediately exchanged places with Val, stepping outside to greet the newcomers without the danger of standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though she sorely wanted to chase Jordan down to dispense justice, she still had guests arriving.

Everyone filed in slowly, depositing their presents under the tree and giving their coats to Beth. Amelia waited outside for a few minutes, allowing the guests time to get settled in, and giving herself a few moments of peace that day. She found that when she was busy and active, her troubling thoughts did not intrude on her peace of mind.

But every now and again, she needed time to be introspective, to try to analyze her confused thoughts. As she stood on the front steps, she gazed out over her neighborhood, decorated brightly with lights and ornaments, and she wondered how anything bothering her could mar an otherwise perfect evening. She couldn't let it, no matter how much she fretted over him. After all, the stars were still bright, despite all the man-made light that tried to ruin the view.

A shudder went up her spine.

What was _that_? She looked around, but the only people who were out were carolers singing down the street and a couple of families walking up and down the sidewalks, looking at the lights. Then why did it feel as if someone was watching her?

"Hey," someone said beside her, and she jumped in surprise.

"Val! Don't do that," she scolded, slapping him on the arm. She hugged her arms to her body.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to surprise you like that." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on inside. You'll get sick; it's freezing out here."

Amelia took a quick look around before allowing him to lead her inside, but she couldn't see anything unusual. Maybe she was getting paranoid…

Zelgadiss lowered his head to the steering wheel after Amelia and Val went inside the house. He had parked well up the street, but he still had a good view from this vantage point. Now, he wished that he hadn't waited for half an hour debating whether or not to go after all. He had gotten a great view of Amelia greeting Val with a kiss. Sure, it looked as if everyone had been egging them on, as if there was mistletoe above the door, but it still made him irritated seeing him so close to her.

They looked so damned cozy. Zelgadiss wondered why the hell he was even there. He turned his head to regard the invitation sitting on the passenger seat on top of his presents. It was a pre-printed invitation, and the envelope had his name and address on a pre-printed label, but just because it was an invitation to the Seyruun Christmas party didn't mean that it was Amelia who invited him. In all likelihood, it was Philionel.

"I can't do this," he muttered to himself.

Just as he was about to start up his car, someone knocked on his window. He whipped his head around quickly, not quite sure what he should expect, but he realized that he didn't need to be so jumpy.

"Zel?" Gourry's muffled voice asked. His friend looked surprised.

Zelgadiss rolled down the window. "Hey, Gourry."

"Why are you sitting in your car? It looks like you've been here a while."

Zelgadiss glanced at his windows, and sure enough, they had begun to fog up. The truth just came out.

"I'm trying to talk myself out of going in there," he admitted.

"Why? I'm sure Amelia will be happy to see you."

He shook his head. "I don't think so, big guy. Can you do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

Zelgadiss reached over and picked up two neatly wrapped boxes. He handed them to Gourry through the window. He looked away when he said, "Can you put these under the tree for me? But don't tell them that I was here, okay?"

Gourry looked troubled, but nodded his head.

"Zel, I'll be home tonight about nine thirty. Wanna come over? We can watch movies or play cards or something."

Gourry's loyalty never ceased to amaze Zelgadiss. The two men didn't have any family around to spend the holidays with, so they usually hung out together. Gourry would spend about an hour on the phone with his grandfather who lived on Mipross Island, and then Zel would crash on Gourry's couch or vice versa. It had been that way ever since he came back to Saillune, why should this year be any different?

He smiled. "I'll make something for us eat and bring some movies. Thanks, Gourry."

"No problem, Zel."

As his friend continued down the street, laden with presents, Zelgadiss started the car and returned to his lonely house.

* * *

The party was a wonderful affair, and as more people showed up, the more Amelia had to do. Her father's colleagues had arrived and were busy talking amongst themselves in the living room, Jordan and his friends had escaped to the upstairs family room to play video games, Beth and her sister and friends were busy in the kitchen, gossiping and cooking, and Amelia's friends had all congregated out in the backyard. Three free standing heaters were positioned around the pergola, and her guests were gathered around them. Lina had wanted to remain in the dining room, but since Beth insisted on her finding a seat, she was forced to trek back and forth for more food. 

Things were made even more hectic when Naga arrived, all flash and flair. She had dressed herself in a skin-tight Santa suit, complete with fuzzy hat and three-inch shiny black knee-high boots. She sauntered in, followed closely by her assistant, Bradley, who was, thankfully, more subtly attired in a dark suit and a Santa tie. He spent the next ten minutes dragging in several suitcases and presents into the foyer before Luna scolded Naga for making him work so hard.

"Dearie, that's why I pay him so much," she said, taking off her hat and placing it lightly on Luna's head. She hugged her and kissed her on the cheek, and then did the same to her assistant. "Thank you, Bradley. You're free until next year. But don't forget to make sure you booked my flights the way I instructed you. If there are any last-minute changes, I'll let you know. Oh, and don't forget about you-know-what for you-know-who."

"Of course, Naga," he said in his deep voice. He pulled out his PDA and typed something in, but his attention was really on Luna. He said distractedly, "I'll bring it over when she's inside. If I don't see you, I'll call you later with your schedule."

She waved him off with impatience and scanned the rooms for her family. She smiled and waved to her father, who left his guests to greet her with a hug.

"There's my beautiful daughter! Come, my dear. You look like you've lost weight. You need to eat…"

"Daddy, please. I've been feeding myself for years now," she laughed. "Let me just get these things upstairs and I'll come back down to see everyone."

"I'll get these two," he said, picking up the two large suitcases, but before setting off upstairs, he asked, "Where's your dog?"

Naga glanced around frantically. He was right. Where was he?

"Bradley!" she yelled. "Where's Bubbles?" A blond head popped out from the dining room. Luna was behind him, filling a plate with food.

"Your sister saw me outside and took him. She said that she's got a crate for him in the kitchen," he told her, and then returned to pointing out to Luna the dishes he wanted to try.

Frowning, Naga began to walk to the kitchen, but was intercepted when Amelia emerged from the sea of people and came crashing into her.

"I'm glad you're home," she said, hugging her sister tightly. "Did you want me to help you bring your things up to your room?"

"Yes, Tes, but where's Bubbles?"

"Oh, he's in the kitchen." Amelia picked up her sister's makeup case and suit bag.

"How did I miss seeing you?"

"I was out back when I heard that someone was here. It was easier to go around the house instead of through it, and when I got to the front, I saw Bradley trying to bring in all your stuff and keep hold of Bubbles at the same time. So I took him and brought him around to the kitchen. Filia's playing with him right now."

Naga nodded and then picked up her purse and carry-on and followed her sister up the stairs. After looking at her from behind, she smirked.

"I didn't think you'd actually wear one of my designs tonight. Especially with Daddy here," she added in a whisper.

Amelia looked back and smiled. "This is one of your more conservative skirts, Gracia. And since I'm wearing tights, I didn't think he'd notice how short it is."

"I've already noticed, young lady," Phil said from the top step.

Amelia looked up quickly and lost her footing. She slipped, but somehow managed to fall in a way that kept the bags still in the air. Torn between concern for his daughter and amusement at her clumsiness, Philionel stepped down and relieved Amelia of her burden. Naga laughed outright at her.

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho! You'd better be glad you're wearing tights after all, Tes," she laughed as she helped her to her feet.

Amelia shook her head at herself, but giggled when her father began to chuckle.

"You're becoming more and more like your mother every day, Amelia," he said fondly. "She didn't pay attention to where she was going, too."

Amelia blushed, and they continued up the stairs and past Jordan and his friends to Naga's room. There, they deposited the rest of her luggage and exited the room. Her father pulled Naga along after him, wanting to introduce her to some of his colleagues, while Jordan challenged Amelia to a video game. She sat with them for a few minutes while she taught them the finer points of kicking butt in Tekken, and by the time the doorbell rang again, she was dubbed the Tekken goddess.

"I'll get it," she yelled downstairs. Punching Jordan lightly in the arm, she said, "That's for earlier." With a smirk, she left the boys to their game and hurried downstairs, being more cautious than usual. It would suck if she slipped and fell twice in the same night.

When she opened the door, her face lit up.

"Uncle Christopher! Alfred!" She ushered them inside, and once they deposited their gifts next to the others that had spilled out from beneath the tree, Amelia wrapped each in a big hug.

"I'm so glad you're here! Daddy's in the living room with Gracia. Have you eaten dinner yet?"

"No," Alfred said with a smile. "I'm famished."

Amelia took their coats and, after putting them away, led them into the dining room where they were met with the wonderful aroma of Beth's cooking. Plates of stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, roasted vegetables, buffalo chicken wings, beef kabobs with peanut sauce, egg rolls, tossed green salad, Caesar salad, honey-glazed ham, turkey, garlic mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, creamed spinach, baked yams, as well as tiny pastries, black forest cake, rum cake, an _edible_ fruit cake, and a 'bouche de noel' cake.

"Beth, my dear," Christopher began as he helped himself to the enticing fare. "You've outdone yourself this year. This looks wonderful!"

Beth smiled as she put more egg rolls onto the platter. "Oh, Mister Christopher, you flatter me. Amelia helped me with a lot of the cooking this year, so thank her, as well," she beamed. "And believe me; it all tastes better than it looks."

He turned to his niece. "Great job, Amelia. Did you do the decorations, as well?"

"Yes, but Miss Beth and Jordan helped. Oh, did you get some of the yams, Alfred?"

He smiled. "Yes, Amelia. How's school?" He brought his plate over to a vacant chair nearby and sat down.

"Pretty good. I tried not to overdo it this quarter by taking too many classes. I think I've learned my lesson."

"Taking that many classes can be okay, as long as that's the only thing you're doing. You'd have to quit your job and concentrate solely on your schooling. That's how I got through school."

She sighed. "I know. I just need the money to pay for my car. Maybe once it's all fixed up, I can concentrate solely on school."

"Why don't you get a job that pays a little more? Like one in a legal office? It helped that I had a temp job at the Mayor's office when it came time for me to intern there."

Trying to divert the conversation from her, she asked, "How is the Mayor doing? You don't still have to work all those hours, do you?"

He shrugged. "A man's gotta do, Amelia."

Christopher joined them, and they chatted for a bit before Naga rounded the corner and almost ran right into them. Her cup of wassail sloshed in her hand, but she kept it from spilling. The smile on her face instantly vanished.

"Oh. Hi, Uncle. Hi, Alfred," she said stiffly.

"Naga, dear." Christopher gave her a hug, which she half-heartedly returned. When he released her, she remained where she was and just waved at her cousin.

"How's business?" her uncle asked.

"It's doing fine, as usual," she answered. Before anyone could say anything else, she excused herself and went on to the kitchen.

Amelia sighed. "I'm sorry about her. I don't know why…"

Christopher placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Amelia. I wouldn't want to say that I'm used to it, but it's hardly surprising anymore that she doesn't spend any time with us."

"Yeah, but she doesn't have to be rude about it," Alfred muttered, glaring in the direction her sister had gone. "I don't know what her problem is."

"Well, _I'm _glad you came," she tried, and though she honestly meant it, she hoped it would appease them.

Christopher laughed, a laugh much like his brother, while Alfred merely smiled.

"We are too."

"Hey, Amelia!" Lina's voice commanded from the kitchen. "You're needed in the backyard!"

Excusing herself, she found that her friends had requested a game of mahjong, so she hunted up a card table and the mahjong set, and they spent the rest of the evening playing the game. Though it helped to distract Amelia from her anxious thoughts, she still couldn't help but wonder what Zelgadiss was doing, and worry whether or not he was alone tonight.

* * *

Zelgadiss looked up from the file that he had been reviewing. It had been a quiet night, one that he had decided was for the best. It had given him time to go through the evidence on the Seyruun case. Much of it was just as he had been told. Threatening letters that had been put together like ransom notes: paper, glue, and magazines that were readily available at almost any store. The envelopes were more interesting to him. They were postmarked between Christmas of last year and September of this year, from post offices in Atlas City as well as Saillune. 

There was also evidence from his shooting, and the subsequent accident: blood-spattered sheets, jewelry, a charred briefcase, cell phone, more letters, doctor's statements, an autopsy report, even the bullets that had been taken from his body. Reading the report, he saw that the ballistics had confirmed that it had been the gun found at the accident site, with Dilgear's fingerprints all over it, which had been used to shoot Zelgadiss. The autopsy report registered that Dilgear had died from massive trauma, most likely due to the accident. He had been dead when the car went up in flames.

Zelgadiss turned to his notebook and wrote in another observation in his growing list of questions that were not answered.

_If Dilgear had hit Jordan to remove him and Beth from the house, why didn't he just steal the jewelry the first chance he got, when they were away from the house? _

_Why go through the trouble of getting a job with them? - Seems more like surveillance. What was he looking for?_

_Why were there ready-made letters in his possession when the frequency of the previous letters was random?_

_Why did a simple car fire end up burning so hot? Hot enough to melt a silver necklace?_

_Why wasn't a toxicology screen done on the body?_

_Granted the body was badly burnt, but they were still able to determine that he had died upon impact. Didn't anyone question whether or not he was drugged? _

There seemed to be more questions than there were answers.

Zelgadiss rubbed his eyes. There was something more to this, but it was difficult for him to see the whole picture. What he really needed to dig up was the report on his own parents' death as well as Amelia's mother's murder. What tied all three of these cases together? That is to say, if they _were_ tied together. Maybe he was trying to find too many common threads in uncommon incidences. Rolling his shoulders to relieve the ache in his neck, he decided to at least try to figure _this_ file out.

Just as he was about to dig back into the file, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, Zel. I'm home now. Did you want to come over?_"

Zelgadiss looked at the clock. It was nearly eleven o'clock.

"It's late, Gourry. What did you do that took so long?" Not that he minded the solitude, but his friend was over an hour late.

"_Sorry about that. Amelia wanted to make sure that we all had our tickets and our ski passes before we left tonight. With all the work she did on the house, she forgot where she put them, so Lina had to help her find them._"

Oh, yeah. The ski trip.

Amelia had told him all about it months ago, and had even invited him to go with her. It was going to be her first time skiing, so she wanted all her friends to be there. So did that mean that they were all still going without him? He couldn't blame her, but his heart twisted at the thought of what could have been.

"Well, it's late and I'm tired," he grumbled, suddenly not in the mood for company.

"_I could go over there, if you don't want to come over here_," he suggested.

"Whatever you feel like, Gourry. I'm probably going to go to bed early anyway."

"_Oh. Well, how about if I drop by tomorrow?_"

Gourry sounded hurt, and Zelgadiss immediately felt like a jerk again.

"That sounds good," he said, trying to sound remotely enthusiastic. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He put his head in his hands when he hung up the phone. He had wanted to hang out with Gourry tonight, but it just wasn't meant to be. He was actually jealous of his friends, not because they weren't spending their time with him, but because they were spending time with Amelia, and he wasn't. When did his whole life become about _her_?

_When you began to care about her, stupid._

Sighing, he picked up the phone and dialed another number, hoping that it wasn't too late.

"_Hello?_" a groggy voice answered the phone.

"Hi. It's Zelgadiss. Did I wake you?"

"_Mmm…_ _Not really. What can I do for you Mister Greywords?_"

"I was wondering if you would do me a favor."

"_It all depends on what that favor is,_" the voice said suggestively.

He sighed. "Would you be interested in a job?"

"_You know me: always up for a challenge._"

"Yeah, well this one is. It's that case I told you about. I'm not going to be able to go with the girl, so I'm wondering if you could help me out and watch her for me."

"_That's a mighty tall order there. How do you propose I do that?_"

"If she hasn't changed her plans, she and some friends are flying into Denver and from there, are flying to Aspen. I believe their connecting flight can be shuffled around easily enough with your connections."

"_Sounds like a plan. Then how do I keep an eye on her after I fly her in?_"

"How do you feel about skiing?"

"_I feel like it will be a nice relaxing time from what I'm used to. I'll call you later once I make sure my schedule is clear, and I'll let you know what my fee is. Too bad I can't see you again._"

"Feeling's mutual. Just make sure you take good care of her, okay?"

"_Is that true affection I hear in your voice? Why, Zelgadiss, I never thought I'd see the day…_"

"Yeah, well, time changes things."

"_For some people, it does. Merry Christmas, Zelgadiss. I'll call you later, hon. Be good._"

"Only if you do. Merry Christmas, Shura," he said, smirking. Hanging up the phone, he decided to turn in and get some rest. He had a lot of planning to do if he was going to make sure Amelia stayed safe.

* * *

Amelia, being the most excitable of the Seyruun household, was the first person up on Christmas morning. Though the party had wound down by ten o'clock, the last guest did not leave until nearly eleven. Since it was Amelia's job to pass out the presents to the guests as they left, she needed to be up to say goodnight to the stragglers and hand them each a crystal candleholder and candle. She hadn't gotten to sleep until nearly midnight, but, like a child, she was up at six thirty, ready to open up her presents. 

Having learned patience, though, she decided to forgo shaking presents and peeling back wrapping paper. Instead, she began breakfast by making a fresh pot of coffee and putting the cinnamon rolls in the oven. Beth woke up soon after, and together, they finished making breakfast, setting it out in the dining room, ready for the house's other inhabitants to wake up. Amelia let Bubbles outside to do his business, and when he came trotting back in, she gave him his bowl of food and water. She was busy playing with him in the living room when her sister finally stumbled downstairs.

"Why must you always get up so damned early, Tes?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

Amelia just sat on the floor, gaping up at her sister in surprise. Naga was wearing plaid flannel pajamas that hung loosely on her, a terry bathrobe, and fuzzy slippers. Her normally perfect hair was bedraggled, and her face was pale without makeup.

"What's wrong?" she asked, seeing her sister looking at her strangely. "Close your mouth. You'll catch flies... _What_?"

"You… you look _normal._"

"Oh, shut up," she said, stepping over her to sit on the couch. Amelia just laughed and pushed herself up to sit beside her sister. Naga shoved her back off the couch. "Go get me a cup of coffee," she ordered.

Amelia stuck her tongue out at her, but did as her sister asked, returning with two cups of coffee. They sat together with their feet tucked up underneath them until the rest of the family appeared, and once everyone was situated comfortably with breakfast and a drink, Amelia offered to pass out the gifts.

She had been too busy 'oohing' and 'aahing' with everyone over the gifts that she didn't notice that one of the boxes was moving. She was about to get up to get another gift when Bubbles jumped off of the couch and ran to the box, barking at it intently. Philionel and Naga glanced at each other and smiled when Amelia went to see what was wrong.

A sharp "Oh!" was all the warning they got before Amelia was shrieking in delight. The lid of the box had come off when a small black nose pushed it off. Bubbles' barking stopped, and Amelia reached down into the box to rescue the small golden retriever puppy. It licked at her as she held it to her face, making cooing noises at it. Completely lost in the fuzzy thing, she didn't notice that her sister had come up behind her.

"Merry Christmas, Tes," she said gently, lightly stroking the puppy's head. It licked at her, too, but her own dog began barking, and she picked him up. "See Bubbles? Now you have a cousin." He tried to lick at it.

Amelia cradled it in her arms, and it relaxed and laid its head on her shoulder. "Oh, Gracia, it's so cute! Is it a girl or a boy?"

"This one is a little girl. Her mother is a blonde, just like her, but her father is a red, so her ears are a little darker than the rest of her body. While you were busy last night, I had Bradley get her and put her in her crate in the apartment."

"But he didn't leave her alone, did he?"

Jordan spoke up from his spot on the couch. "I spent the night over there. You know that I had to wake up at four this morning just to let her pee?"

He tried to sound disgusted, but when she sat down next to him, he offered to take the dog. Amelia let him hold it, but her attention remained with her new pet.

"Now, what should I call you?" she asked, as if the puppy would answer.

"How about Killer?" Jordan asked. Amelia frowned at him.

"How about Buttercup?" She made a face at Beth.

"Fluffy?"

"Justice?"

"How about 'Ginger'?" Amelia said as she accepted her back from Jordan. The puppy immediately attacked her with her tongue, licking all over her face. She laughed. "Okay, 'Ginger' it is."

Since Amelia was busy bonding with her new puppy, crumpling up pieces of wrapping paper and tossing them for her to chase, Jordan finished passing out the presents. He set the last one down next to Amelia as she tied a ribbon around Ginger's pink collar.

"Who's this one from?" she wondered, looking for the card. It only had 'Amelia' printed on the tag. Everyone shrugged their shoulders, but Naga shot a concerned look at her father. He frowned as she opened the box.

Another 'oh' escaped Amelia's lips, but this time, it was a mere whisper. Inside the box was a black, red and white leather jacket and black pants, but it was obvious to Amelia what it was. It was a motorcycle riding suit, with knee armor and hip padding in the pants, and body armor and spine pad in the jacket. It was a gorgeous gift that was very expensive, but was something that she had wanted for a long time. It hadn't been a necessity since she had her car, but now that her car was being worked on and she was using her motorcycle every day, she needed to wear more than just a helmet. She had finally bought her riding boots and was waiting to save up for at least a jacket.

"That's a nice gift," her father said, trying to sound disinterested, "but who is it from?"

"Is it from Val?" Naga wondered. "He's got something like that, too, doesn't he?"

Amelia thought about it. "Yeah, but this is _very_ expensive. I don't think he could have gotten it for me. Besides, he bought me that fantasy art book."

She picked up the tag and studied it, but Phil decided that it was too strange.

"Amelia, I think we should have that looked at. We don't know where it came from, and I think it's awfully suspicious."

She suddenly sighed loudly. "Don't worry, Daddy. I think I know who gave this to me."

"Who?"

She shook her head.

"It's no one." Looking him in the eye, she said, "Daddy, I know who it is. It's not a stalker or anything like that. Don't worry. I'll call him and return it right away. This is way too expensive a gift."

Concerned or not, there was nothing Phil could do but trust that his daughter knew what she was doing. Naga, however, did not think that it could be that simple, and for the rest of the day, she bugged her sister to no avail; Amelia wasn't going to tell them who it was. She was torn, however, between finally having such a beautiful and needed gift, and having to return it. By the afternoon, she had broken down and tried it on, just to see if it even fit…

It fit perfectly.

Sighing, she removed it and folded it carefully, placing it inside her backpack. When she went in to work tomorrow, she would call him and ask him to pick it up. And maybe she could finally put that chapter of her life behind her once and for all.

* * *

Zelgadiss tried for a couple of days to keep his mind off of Amelia, but finally succumbed to his impulse to see her again. Maybe if he could just _see_ her, see her happy and smiling, then he would be able to go a few weeks _without_ seeing her. 

Damn. It sounded as if he was addicted or something.

The day after Christmas, he walked into the bookstore and scanned the floor for her face. She wasn't there, so he ordered his espresso and went upstairs to the reference section, on the opposite side of the store from his usual spot. He could still see the Children's section from this vantage point, but he hoped that she wouldn't find him sitting there.

He was beginning to relax and settle into his old habit of sitting back in his chair and half-reading half-looking for Amelia when he finally saw her ascending the escalator. She was tying on her apron with a determined look on her face. She was staring at her section, and he could understand why. As usual, the place was an utter mess.

Zelgadiss marveled at her patience at not only having to clean up the same place every day, but also to still be able to read to the children in such an animated way. The way her face expressed so much emotion as she read the story, and the voices she used for each character, and the way she encouraged the kids to join her in reading, were all fascinating to him. He simply enjoyed watching her.

So he did.

The book he had been reading lay in his lap, his cup was long empty, yet he sat and watched as she helped parents find books for their children, clean up toys, and shelve books. It was nothing extraordinary, yet it was the fact that she did it all unselfishly and gladly that made him marvel at her. He would have been driven nuts by the incessant whining of kids or the constant complaining of customers.

His legs had fallen asleep, and he had just stood up to get some circulation back, when a young man approached her directly. Zelgadiss ducked back behind the shelves and tried to observe what he was doing. Amelia saw the blond haired youth and smiled at him, beckoning him closer. Then she hugged him.

Zelgadiss almost fell over. Who the heck was that?

He surreptitiously made his way over to the aisle next to the Children's section and was in luck when she pulled the guy over to the corner nearest to Zel.

"Chad," she said. "I'd like to thank you, but I really can't accept it. Don't take it the wrong way. It's really the thought that counts."

"What are you talking about, Amelia?" he asked.

Zelgadiss picked up a book and pretended to read as he leaned closer to hear what they were saying.

"You know what I'm talking about. I can't accept it. It's too much."

"If you tell me what you're talking about, then maybe I can argue back, but I have no idea what the heck you're talking about."

She sighed. "Did you give me an anonymous card for graduation and another for my birthday?" There was a pause, and he could almost see Amelia staring him down.

"Well, if I did, what of it?"

"Chad, I could tell it was you. I recognized your handwriting right away. I thought you were trying to make up in your own way, so that's why I never said anything. But this time, it's _way_ too much."

"Okay. I admit I got you those cards and that ring, but I still don't know what this is all about. Why did you want me to meet you here?"

"I want to return the jacket and the pants."

"What?"

_What!_

Zelgadiss nearly dropped the book he had been holding. Sure, he had thought that it might be too much when he bought both the jacket _and_ the pants, but he knew that she had wanted to get a real riding suit for some time now. And she had been riding around town in clothes that hardly provided the kind of protection that she needed on a motorcycle. It was a simple enough fix, in his mind: give her a gift that he knew she would use. Of course, he didn't sign his name, but why did she think that _this_ guy had gotten it for her?

"What do you mean 'what'? I'm trying to tell you that I can't accept such an expensive gift from you. We're not even going out anymore."

"Don't you think I _know_ that? Geez, Amelia,at first I thought that I could get you back, but after that night I found you, I know it's not going to happen. So I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Jacket and pants? Why would I get you something like that anyway?"

"So you didn't get me a Christmas gift?"

"Should I have?"

There was a pause, and Zelgadiss wondered what was going on through Amelia's mind. Before long, she spoke. "I'm sorry, Chad. I thought that you were the one who gave it to me because it was anonymous, but now… I think I know who _really_ gave it to me."

"So I drove down here for nothing?"

"No. Here. It's very beautiful, but I can't accept this either."

"Amelia, I gave you this ring because I wanted to."

"You said yourself that you were trying to get me back. Sorry. I just can't. I've been meaning to give it back to you for ages, but I never got the chance."

"So you're going to break my heart again right after Christmas?"

"Shut up," she said playfully. "Give it to the next girl, okay? Just don't be stupid and tell her that you'd given it to someone else first."

There was a silence where Zelgadiss imagined they could only be hugging. The book he had almost dropped was now gripped tightly in his fist.

"I guess I'll see you around?" Chad asked.

"Yeah. Hey, Chad? Thanks."

Zelgadiss ducked back around the aisle just as he walked by. Deciding that eavesdropping in this instance had its good and bad points, he left the bookstore as soon as he saw that Amelia had returned to the back room for her break. At least now he knew that there was nothing between her and her ex-boyfriend, but he also knew that she didn't want to keep his gift. She had said that she knew who it was that gave it to her, but he wondered if she would try to call him to return it as well.

But if the way she had walked past him at the police station was any indication of how she was going to treat him in the future, he wasn't sure he wanted to see her at all. In his opinion, having her ignore him was worse than having her angry with him.

* * *

Amelia pulled on her pajamas and looked at the clock. It was already eight o'clock, but she was not remotely tired. Ginger was secure in her crate downstairs, right next to Bubbles and his crate. Amelia had worn out the poor animals by playing with them non-stop when she got home from work. Even Jordan had forgone video games to play with the dogs. Amelia knew that he was a sucker for both of them. 

She had already packed for her trip; her luggage was already downstairs, and all she needed to do was pack a couple of things into her carry-on tomorrow. Aside from being excited about her trip, there was still something else that was bothering her. Her sister had been back for five days now, and she still hadn't had a chance to ask her about the case Xelloss was working on for her. She knew it wasn't really her place to ask, but she felt that it must be something important for her to hire someone like Xelloss.

"Tes?"

Amelia turned around and saw that her sister was standing in the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing standing in the middle of your room?"

She looked around in confusion. "Oh. I guess I hadn't realized…"

Naga closed the door behind her and sat on her sister's bed.

"Realized what? That you were zoning out? What… or _who_ were you thinking about?" she asked slyly.

Shaking her head, Amelia sat down on her bed. "I was actually thinking about you."

"Me?" She sounded surprised. "What about me?"

Deciding to take the direct approach, she asked her, "Gracia, why did you hire Mister Xelloss? What kind of case were you having him work on?"

Naga blinked. To her credit, she did not stammer or blush. Instead, her brows dipped, and she frowned.

"A personal case. I'm surprised he broke his attorney-client trust by telling you that he was even working on a case for me."

Amelia smoothed out the creases in her blanket. "He didn't really. I confronted him on something else, and he thought that I was talking about your case. He didn't tell me anything, though." For some reason, Amelia didn't want to get Xelloss into trouble with her sister.

"Good. Then I won't have to sue him."

"That's what I'm wondering about. Why didn't you get one of your own attorneys to work on it, whatever it is?"

"Like I said, it's personal."

"Does it have anything to do with those threats?"

"No. Why do you want to know my business anyway?" Naga asked, beginning to get annoyed.

"Because I'm worried about you. You were keeping those secrets about those letters. Now you're keeping secrets about something else. What's going on?"

Naga stood and walked to the door. "Geez, can't my personal business stay personal? You don't need to know about it."

"Why are you being so selfish?"

She stopped and turned around. "Selfish? _Selfish?_ This is probably the _least_ selfish thing I've done!"

"Does Daddy know about it?"

"No! And he doesn't need to, either."

"Why? Why don't you want your family to know what's going on? If you're in some kind of trouble…"

"_I'm _not in trouble!"

"Then what is it? What are you trying to protect?"

"I'm trying to protect _you_!"

The silence that followed was deafening. Amelia sat on the edge of her bed, trying to figure out what the heck her sister was talking about. If this case didn't have anything to do with Dilgear and her stolen jewelry, then what did it have to do with her?

"Protect _me_?" she asked.

Naga huffed in frustration. "Dammit!" she muttered, looking down at the floor.

"What do you mean 'protect me'? What does this have to do with _me_?"

"Nothing." She said it quietly, but she refused to meet Amelia's gaze. "Forget about it, Tes."

She reached for the doorknob, but Amelia stood and placed her hand on her sister's arm.

"Naga. Please?"

Turning to face her, Naga's gaze was troubled. It was clear that she still didn't want to tell her, but the fact that Amelia had called her 'Naga' must have struck a chord. Her eyes searched Amelia's face, as if measuring whether or not she would be able to handle what she was about to tell her.

Frowning, Naga told her to wait there. She exited the room and, within a minute, returned with a hardcover book.

"Sit down," she told her, and Amelia sat down cross-legged in the middle of her bed. Naga sat down next to her. She opened the book and bent it backwards. Reaching into the spine, she fished out a folded piece of yellowed paper. She set aside the book and carefully unfolded the paper, smoothing out the creases.

Amelia saw that it was a newspaper clipping from several years ago, but her heart stopped when she saw the headline.

'**_Assistant D.A. Gunned Down in an Apparent Murder-Suicide._**'

"Mommy," she whispered. Naga handed her the paper, and she read the article.

"_Elmekia, EL. Wednesday night, Saillune Assistant District Attorney Victoria Seyruun was killed in an apparent murder-suicide by Randy Seyruun, the youngest brother of Victoria's husband, Philionel Seyruun. Witnesses overheard the two arguing earlier that night, but the exact nature of the fight is still uncertain. Randy Seyruun's body was found in the scorched remains of his car five miles from the upscale resort of Elmekia Springs. The Seyruuns were there attending a special gala event for Saillune Mayor Siachuro Ul Copt.  
_'_This is a horrible event. We should all do our best to remember everything Victoria stood for,' the Mayor said in a public announcement. Further investigation is underway. Victoria Seyruun is survived by her husband and two young daughters. For more on this story, turn to page 15._"

"Mommy's murder," Naga explained when Amelia lowered the article. "After the investigation was all over, the police determined that Uncle Randy had killed her because of some twisted love for her, and that he killed himself afterwards by driving off a cliff."

Amelia nodded, and Naga went on.

"I don't think the police took everything into account when they wrapped up their investigation. They took my statement, but I think because I was just a child, they didn't follow up on any of it. I think Uncle Randy was too stupid to have killed her by himself. I told them that he and Uncle Christopher also argued that night, but I don't think they ever questioned _him_ or held him under suspicion."

"So that's why you've never trusted Uncle Christopher?" Amelia asked, her voice small.

"I think he helped, somehow. I don't know exactly how, but he did. He _must_ have."

"Why? Why do you think _he_ was the one?"

Naga looked at her. "Don't you remember?"

Amelia felt uncomfortable. "Remember what?" she wondered.

"That you said that you heard a deeper voice when she was killed?"

Amelia squeezed her eyes shut and shoved the heels of her hands into her eyes. She had wanted so desperately to forget that whole night for so long now that it was difficult to want to try to _remember_.

"You _do_ remember that you were in the room when she was killed, right?" Naga whispered.

_No…_

Something inside of her broke and tears began to stream down Amelia's cheeks. Of course she _remembered_. How could she _ever_ forget?

"I… I couldn't do anything. I couldn't do anything for her…"

Naga gathered her up in her arms, just as she had done ten years ago, and Amelia bawled into her sister's shoulder. She rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her sister's tears.

"I tried to protect you back then, Tes. When I found you and Mommy, you were so hysterical. You told me that you were hiding under the desk and heard her fighting with someone when she was shot. When Uncle Christopher found us, you looked like you were afraid of him, so when they asked us what happened, I told them that we _both_ found her. I didn't tell anyone that you were in the room when it happened. I didn't know what would happen to you if they knew that you were there. Since you wouldn't talk to anyone but me, that was the story the police accepted."

Amelia sniffled as she pulled away from her sister. Wiping her eyes, she took a shuddering breath.

"But I don't remember if it was Uncle Christopher or not. It wouldn't matter now, would it?"

"It would if Mommy's real killer is out there somewhere. I mean, sure, Uncle Randy had some sick fascination with Mom, but I don't think it would have led him to kill her." She sighed. "I don't know. I'm probably grasping at straws, but I think there's more to this. I've tried to find out all about the case for years now, but it's hard when I don't want Daddy to know what I'm doing. All I could find out was that there were some familiar names wrapped up around her and a case she was working on when she was killed."

"What kind of case?"

"She was working on 'The People of Saillune vs. Mister Gaav and Mister Saygram.' It was a case about Val's adopted father and Saygram, his right-hand man. Mommy was the prosecuting attorney, Xelas Metallium was the defense attorney, Rezo Greywords was representing the people of Saillune, and Aqua Inverse was the jury fore-person. I also found out later that Mommy worked closely with Zares Greywords on a number of other cases. He was Zelgadiss' father."

She tried not to sound surprised at hearing that Zelgadiss' father had also known her mother. "So how does that all fit together with who killed her?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. That's why I gave the case to Xelloss. Since his mother's name is in there, I knew he would try to find out what was going on. He got Zelgadiss to help as well. Between the two of them, I was sure they would be able to figure things out, and whether or not Uncle Christopher had a hand in any of it."

Amelia stared at the yellowing page in her hands and tried to comprehend it all. Though she had tried so desperately to forget everything, to believe in the lie that her sister had told, that she had been with her when they found their mother dead in her hotel room, Amelia could never forget the events of that night.

She could never forget that she hadn't wanted to go to bed and had snuck out of her room and into her mother and father's room in the hotel, that she had gone up to their bedroom door and had heard her mother arguing with a man who was not her father, that she had hidden under the desk when they came out of the bedroom arguing, and that she stifled her screams when she heard five pops and her mother's body hitting the desk and then the floor.

She could never forget the terror she felt, not knowing if the person who hurt her mother was going to hurt her, too. She could never forget looking out from under the desk, pressing her face against the warm wet carpet, soaked with blood, and seeing the lifeless eyes of her mother staring back at her…

She could _never_ forget.

"I tried to protect you as best as I could, Tes. At first, I just wanted to forget it all, pretend that none of it happened. I thought that maybe you could, too. So when I found out that you were following my lead and drinking it all away, I thought that if I covered for you, you would be safe. I… I was such a fool."

Naga drew her knees up to her chin and continued. "So I ignored it, pretended it never happened. I ran away and left you alone. I was an even bigger fool. You ended up suffering. Once you were out of Anderson, I decided that the best way to protect you was to finally close the book on Mommy's death. I figured if I found out if Uncle Christopher was really involved, and he was brought to justice, your nightmares would finally go away. I know that_ my_ nightmares are unbearable. I can't imagine what yours are like. I don't want you to be haunted by it anymore."

This time, it was Amelia who drew her sister into a hug, and Naga cried into her shoulder.

"We'll discover the truth, Gracia," Amelia said determinedly. "I'll make sure neither of us are haunted anymore."

Their mother's death had destroyed their innocence. It had introduced them to the cruelties and injustices that the world held, which their parents had fought against on a daily basis. It had devastated their family, but somehow, they had endured, despite the pitfalls and obstacles in their way. They would discover the truth, and whether it was the one they knew or one that was yet to be revealed, the truth would help to settle their unease and quiet their fears.

For the first time in ages, Naga slept in Amelia's bed with her, and they stayed up late talking, _really_ talking, about their hopes and their worries, about their lives and their futures. For the first time, Amelia truly felt that her sister was glad to be her sister.

* * *

Amelia could hardly eat breakfast the next morning, but she forced herself to put something in her stomach. If she thought that she had problems before, that was nothing in comparison to what she and Naga had spoken about last night. It was a shocking and disturbing piece of news, but she was determined to get to the bottom of it. She hadn't realized that Naga had agonized over it for years. Amelia would find out what really happened, if for nothing else but her sister's peace of mind. 

That, on top of finding out more about those weird threats, worrying about going back to classes after the New Year, wondering about her friends' happiness, and trying to deal with her own broken heart, was almost too much for her brain to handle. Add going off to Aspen for a week and trying to have fun when everything else in her life was in such a questionable state, and Amelia was a nervous wreck.

She found solace in her puppy, and she spent her last few hours at home playing with Ginger. She brought her out to potty in the yard (Jordan was going to hate her later), and then walked her briefly around the backyard. Once inside, she watched her eat her food and lap at her water, and then they played fetch… or rather, chase. Amelia threw the squeaky ball, Ginger would chase it and pick it up, and Amelia would chase her to get the ball back. She'd have to teach her to bring it back to her one day.

But eventually, despite her hope that time would go slower, it was time to leave. Amelia felt strange leaving her puppy, but more importantly her sister, after they had bonded the night before. However, Naga was still insistent that she go on ahead of her to Aspen.

"It's okay. I'll see you soon enough," she told her as Amelia put on her jacket. "I've got a few loose ends I needed to tie up while I'm here, so I might as well do them now before I finish out my vacation. It's nothing important, just some business stuff," she added when Amelia shot her a suspicious glance.

"Okay, but are you sure that it will be okay that we check in without you? After all, the only reason they gave us that suite is because _you_ were the one who requested it."

"I'll call them right now and explain that my sister is going to be checking in for me, okay? Will you stop worrying? Everything will be fine."

Philionel stepped inside the front door. "Are you ready to go, Amelia? I've got the luggage and your carry-on in the car." He stared at her for a moment before his eyes began to shimmer. "My darling little girl is going on her first real vacation away from me. You're growing up so fast."

He looked as if he would burst into tears, but Amelia tried to make light of it.

"Daddy, I _did_ go to Atlas City a few months ago, you know. So it's not really my first…"

"But it's a week! Over New Year's, too! And it's a three hour flight away, not like the forty-five minutes to Atlas City." He looked sternly at her. "You stay safe, my baby girl."

"Daddy, I'm not a baby," she sighed. He scooped her up in a hug, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at her sister. Naga stifled a giggle.

When he set her down, he told her, "Now, if you need me for anything, just let me know, okay?"

For the fifth time that morning, Amelia said, "I'll be fine."

She checked her purse for her ticket and then gave her sister a hug. She picked up Ginger and ruffled her fur, promising to spend more time with her after the New Year. When she set her down, she ran over to tug at Jordan's shoelaces. Waving goodbye to Beth and Jordan, Amelia followed her father outside and closed the door behind her.

"I don't know why she wanted to go skiing so bad," Jordan muttered. "She's so clumsy, she'll probably break her leg or something."

Beth smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow! Mom, that hurt!"

"That's what you get for speaking ill of other people behind their back."

"I already told her so to her face," he said.

Naga put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Now, _what_ was your reason for not going again?"

She was satisfied when he flushed and stuttered as he picked up the puppy and walked away, "I've got stuff to do."

"Uh huh. Sure, Jordan. Whatever you say," she said, smirking. Turning to Beth, she explained, "He just doesn't want to leave his girlfriend. 'Jill and Jordan sitting in a tree…'"

Beth smiled. "I'm just glad he's found someone nice. Now if I can just get someone nice for each of you girls…"

"Well, we've got someone for Tes, but I think I'll die a spinster, Beth."

"Nonsense. You'll find someone, Miss Gracia." She patted her on the cheek. "You're too beautiful to remain single for long."

Smiling, Beth shuffled off to clean up after breakfast. Naga watched her leave and felt tremendous affection for their housekeeper. She had filled the empty space her mother had left, yet never tried to _be_ their mother. Content in her role, she merely tried her best to ensure the girls' happiness, as well as their father's. Naga had briefly wondered if her father would one day marry Beth. It had seemed a natural progression, since they acted like a family most of the time anyway, but Beth was still in love with her dead husband, the way Naga's father was still in love with his dead wife.

She wished that she might one day be able to find a love like that, to have someone who she would give anything to make him happy, who would treat her like a real person, not some doll to dress up and parade around. She saw the relationships around her flourish and fail, yet her own was sadly lacking.

"Enough feeling sorry for yourself, Naga," she told herself. "It's time to kick someone in the ass."

She returned to her room and picked up the phone. Thinking for a minute, she dialed a number and readied herself for a persuasive argument.

"_Hello._"

"Hiya, Zel," she said, her voice bubbling, the very essence of enthusiasm.

"_Naga_," he replied flatly. "_Can I help you?_"

"Ooh. So cold and distant. You heard that I apologized for what I said, right?"

"_Yeah._"

"So, let me make it up to you."

"_How do you mean?_"

"Look. I know my sister has gone off to Aspen with all of her friends, right?"

"_So?_" He sounded exasperated.

"So, that means that your buddy Gourry won't be here for the rest of the holidays. You're going to be alone for New Year's, right?"

"_Are you trying to make me feel better or worse?_"

"I'm _trying_ to invite you to go on vacation with _me_." Silence followed, and Naga wondered if he had hung up on her. "Hello?"

"_Yeah, I'm here. Uh, I don't think that would be such a good idea._"

She grinned, imagining what was going through his mind.

"Look, it's purely platonic. I promise. Hey, Amelia left me for New Year's, and I'm not planning on spending it at my Dad's place. I want to go somewhere _else_, you know what I mean? And I figure that way, you won't have to be alone either."

"_Where do you suggest?_" he asked after a pause.

"I was thinking of Dragon's Peak in Kataart. It's remote enough that people probably won't recognize me, so it can be low-key. Don't worry. I'll get two rooms. Like I said: purely platonic."

She could almost hear the wheels turning in Zelgadiss' mind as he thought things through. Hopefully, he would be desperate enough for company that he wouldn't mind going on a trip with her, but not desperate enough to think that anything could happen between them. The last thing she needed was for him to suddenly freak out on her and try to forget Amelia by trying something with _her_.

When he answered, he sounded hesitant. "_O… okay, but on one condition._"

"What's that?" Naga began to worry, but she needn't have.

"_I'll pay my own way, alright? That way, no one can construe this getaway as anything remotely romantic. No offence._"

Score!

"None taken. I'll be by to pick you up around four o'clock. Bring a week's worth of winter clothing. It's going to be snowing." She was already on her cel phone, text messaging Bradley to go ahead with their plan and put the ticket in Zelgadiss' name.

"_Hey, Naga?_"

Her fingers paused in their typing. "What?"

"_Thanks. For worrying about me._"

"Thank me later. If you enjoy yourself, then that's my thanks. I'll see you later."

Hanging up the phone, Naga grinned as she finished her message and hit the 'send' button. The poor thing didn't stand a chance.

* * *

When the taxi pulled away from the terminal, Zelgadiss had the sudden feeling that his last chance to escape had just left him. He didn't know what spurred him to concede to Naga's strange way of making up for the harsh words she had called him after the whole fiasco with Amelia, but in retrospect, he was beginning to wonder if it was a good idea after all. He had just a few hours to pack for a week-long trip with a beautiful woman to a remote resort, yet in those hours, all he could think about was the fact that he would much rather be on a plane to Aspen instead. 

He dragged all the suitcases behind him into the terminal and found that Naga had gone on ahead of him to check in. She was at one of the self-service terminals and had already begun checking in. When she waved at him to hurry, he tried to ignore the stares they were beginning to attract.

"You can pay me back for the airplane tickets later. Put the luggage up on the scale," she ordered, and he complied, folding down the handles and heaving them up onto the machine.

He had only brought one piece of luggage and a carry-on, but for some reason, Naga required three, in addition to her purse and her carry-on. The monitor beeped, and Naga began pressing buttons. His eyes were occupied by scanning the crowds, searching for any possible threats. It was second nature for him to do so, but this time, it was because he was traveling with a minor celebrity.

"Alright, we're ready to go," she said with a degree of relief, watching their luggage sail away on the conveyor belt and disappear into the back. "We've got ten minutes to make it to the gate before they begin boarding."

Zelgadiss held out his hand for his ticket, but Naga handed him her carry-on instead.

"What about my ticket?" he asked, holding the purple case.

"Your ticket is lighter than my carry-on, Zelgadiss-dear." She began walking briskly to the gate, and he couldn't do anything but follow.

"I'm your pack-mule for this trip, then? I knew it couldn't be completely selfless." He scowled, throwing his own carry-on's handle over his shoulder so he could hold hers more comfortably.

"Come, now. How would it look if the woman had to fumble with her own bag and the man walked freely? You'd look like a jerk, of course."

"Thanks for always looking out for me, Naga," he muttered, following her to the gate. Sure enough, when they arrived, the announcer's voice came on over the loud speaker to announce the boarding.

"_Flight number 202, direct service to Aspen, is ready for boarding. Passengers with boarding passes for rows one through ten, please board at this time._"

"_Aspen_?" he asked, rounding on her. Naga grit her teeth as Zelgadiss glared daggers. His luggage was probably already on board the plane. No escape now.

She smiled winningly at him, hooking her arm in his and striding towards the attendant with their tickets.

"Change of plans," she explained. "Dragon's Peak was booked solid, so we're going to Aspen instead."

The attendant checked their tickets and ushered them through the gate, staring at Zelgadiss' stony expression and Naga's smug grin. The two entered the plane, stowed their carry-ons, and sat in their first-class seats in silence.

"You could have told me," he finally snarled quietly, as the other passengers began filing past them into the plane.

"Why, so you could change your mind and go back to your lonely existence? I told you that you weren't going to be alone for New Year's. What does it matter the location?"

He glanced at her, and then turned his gaze out the window. Well, he had gotten his wish. Earlier, he had wanted to be on a plane to Aspen instead of Kataart, and here he was hours later, on a plane to Aspen instead of Kataart. So what did he have to complain about? He remained stoically silent as the plane filled with passengers, as the fight attendants went through their safety instructions, as the plane taxied to the runway, and as they finally took off and sped out over the ocean. By that time, though, his anger had waned, and he was beginning to see things objectively. He finally turned back to Naga.

"I don't like being tricked, Naga," he said somberly, but he smirked when he nudged her shoulder with his. "But I'll thank you later _if_ I enjoy myself."

"I just want to see you both happy," she sighed. "You both deserve to be happy."

"Even if she'd be happy without me?"

"You don't give _yourself_ enough credit, Zel."

"I think it's too much to hope for."

"But you still have hope?"

He leaned back in the cushy chair and closed his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Naga looked sharply at him as the plane banked around and began to head northeast. He felt her gaze on him, and he turned his head towards her and opened his eyes.

"It's so strange, hearing you say that," she said. "I thought that after Eris, you'd never want to have anything to do with romance, and here you are, just like you were in high school, lovesick over a girl."

"This is hardly like high school, Naga. I wasn't lovesick over Eris. You introduced us. I thought she was nice enough, so we went out. If I had known then that she was a black widow…"

She held her hand up. "Sorry. Sorry I brought it up. So, what are you going to do?"

"About what?"

She slapped his arm. "About my sister, you idiot! This trip!"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah. I'm going to find a nice quiet corner to disappear into and try to stay out of the way for a week."

Naga shook her head. "I can't believe it. You wouldn't pick up a dollar off the ground if you were penniless. Forget I even tried to help you out."

Zelgadiss tried to feel good about this trip. He wasn't sure what he would encounter when he met Amelia again. Would she ignore him the way she did at the police station? He didn't know if he could handle her looking at and then snubbing him. Or, would Val be hanging all over her? It may be too much to ask of him to overlook their closeness, but he was being given another chance to apologize to her. Perhaps if there was a way he could get her alone, away from the prying eyes of her sister or Lina, but especially away from that _guy_…

Blocking everything else out, he allowed his mind to drift solely to Amelia, her smiles and her tears, her ups and her downs, her fierce arguments and her silent anguish. _She_ was the reason he had hope. His hope for Amelia's forgiveness fueled his determination to receive it, but his hope for her affection fueled the love in his heart that had staunchly refused to be snuffed out.

Placing his hand on Naga's, he said, "I'll talk to her, okay? Just don't push us. I'll do things in my own way, in my own time. But, thank you. Thank you for caring enough to kidnap me in first class." He grinned.

She squeezed his hand, and then released it, smiling.

"It's the only way to fly."

Zelgadiss leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, trying to think of exactly how he could get Amelia alone to apologize. It was going to be difficult, he knew, but then he realized something very sobering. Even if he did apologize, and she forgave him, and they became friends again, would being 'just friends' be enough for him? He had finally admitted to himself that he was in love with her, so how could he spend time with her and _not_ want to hold her or kiss her? Should he obtain her forgiveness and love her from afar?

_As long as she's happy…_

But what about _his_ happiness?

* * *

A/N: Okay, so their reunion was not what many of you expected, but it won't be long now before they're forced to interact with each other. It's just a question of the stubbornness of the characters. And one mystery is finally revealed; now you know what Naga was working on so secretly with Xelloss and Zelgadiss. I hope that just opened up a whole new can of worms for you all to ponder. 

The next chapter will be set in Aspen, but since I've never been, it's going to be my own AU version of Aspen (I guess the prospect of having it there was too good to pass up). So, any discrepancies that exist should be considered a part of the AU... Maybe I should have picked a fictional place... Oh well. _sigh _

Special thanks to everyone who's read and hugs to those who've reviewed! **Maddy02** (The sex joke – and yes, it was a joke – only served to open up Zel's mind to the fact that Amelia is indeed a woman. Until now, he's been very taken with her, but he's kept himself from thinking of her in _that_ way. Now, he is very much aware that she's also a person to be desired as well. As for your questions, Amelia just wants to _know_ what the case was all about. She hated not knowing anything, so she just wants to learn as much as she can, that's all. She's not a detective, though, so she doesn't expect to find anything more than what was already there. The Kataart Mayor visit will be fairly important, but you'll find out more later. Unfortunately, Lina and Gourry's heart to heart will be shunted to a WML chapter, but it will happen. I hope this chapter answered your question about the ski trip, and as for your correct answer, be patient. It shall be answered in the next chapter!), **Ichiban Victory** (Ah, don't worry about Zel. He's a man, but he's a gentleman; he just needed a kick to realize that Amelia's a woman worth wanting. And you're right: she would make a very willing partner at that! For the part with Uo, I really just wanted a scene where she would have to confront her past and actually deal with someone who knew her from before. Uo embraces her past in a way that Amelia hasn't quite done yet. It just shows that she's got a ways to go to fully come to terms with her past. As for Lina and Gourry, she's got to learn to accept that she doesn't have control over everything as she would like. They'll get things together, but not without a bit of heartache. Thanks for the vote of confidence in my view of Zel getting plastic surgery. I figured there would be many conflicting thoughts going on within him, but when all is said and done, the important bit is that Amelia accepted him as he was. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the answers and questions it brought up!), **RowenaTheWitch** (Hi! Thanks so much! I enjoyed torturing Zel with that exercising bit! As for Miwan, he'll show up again a bit later, but nothing major. Don't worry!), **e-chan16** (Thanks a bunch! Yeah, it seems love and pain go hand in hand sometimes, especially when you entrust your heart with someone else. Let's just hope that Zel and Amelia get their act together soon!), **Aisha C** (Thanks! That chapter was a cameo chapter, one in which I was able to squeeze in many of my favorite characters – and I couldn't help but have Doctor Umeda torture Zel the way he did! He's sort of like Mizuki's shrink at school, doling out love advice all the time, so I thought he'd do well to do the same to Zel! Perhaps he'll make another appearance later…), **Earth Star** (Yeah, I agree with you. He's more of a thinker and analyst than a fighter, and so the transition is made. He'll be able to do much more this way now. As for Miwan, nothing major will happen, but he'll pop up again. Thanks again!), **jesphoenix05** (Ah, you're a nut! Just don't hyperventilate and pass out from laughing! I need tofind someone to fumigate your place – too many happy cheery thoughts going on over there! No… I've got a better idea: _Goop Grenade!_ _laughs maniacally…_ Thanks again for letting me borrow Shura!), **NonameJane** (Thanks a bunch! Yeah, I didn't realize until a few chapters ago that I had written so much – and it seems my chapters keep getting longer… I hope I keep you interested!), **Xeria Malstrum** (Oh, that's okay. I'm so behind on my reading in general… Well, the 'showdown' is put off for a while, but the sparks will fly soon enough. I hope you enjoyed this one as well; not much action, but there are a lot of secrets that have been revealed. Thanks again!), **Lina Gabriev** (I hope this chapter answered a few of your questions. Zelgadiss really wanted to do and be something more, and being a detective is one step closer to that goal – especially when his father was a detective. The cameos were fun to do, but they're only going to be once in a while; Umeda will probably come back later. Miwan is a guy who's a cross-dresser – a bit of a clue that he's working at an all-boy's school, Zel! – and attended the school before. And, as this chapter showed, Naga's not mad at Zel anymore. She's trying to stick up for her sister, so when Amelia's not angry with him anymore, she doesn't have a reason to be either. Thanks again!), **Rukia-sama** (_rubs head_ I'm sorry about that cliffhanger! And it ended up to be nothing, either… But don't worry! They'll meet again soon, and I won't leave you all hanging. I promise!) Another set of special thanks to **Stara Maijka **for all the cool info on motorcycle stuff – I ended up using some of that info after all! Hugs to you all!

Click on the button and review!


	32. Another Old Lang Syne

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 32**

_**Another Old Lang Syne**_

Amelia had thought things out carefully when she confirmed the tickets for the flight. Xelloss was accompanying Filia, which, in and of itself, was nothing very notable, but because Val was going to be there as well, Amelia needed to keep him and Xelloss far apart. So Xelloss was sitting in a window seat with Filia beside him, Lina and Gourry were in the seats directly behind them, and Amelia and Val were in seats on the other side of the plane, three rows back.

"I just don't know what she still sees in him," he grumbled to her as he finished his salted peanuts. Amelia handed him her bag as she took a sip of her ginger ale.

"Maybe it's good that she's with him," she suggested. When he glared at her, she shrugged. "She seems to be handling him pretty well."

"That's not what I'm worried about. He gets in her head and plays all sorts of mind games with her. I don't think he really cares about how she feels. He probably still treats her like crap."

"Have you asked her?"

"Are you kidding? Then she'd probably go out with him _just_ because I said something."

"Cut her some slack, Val. She's given him another chance for a reason. Maybe he really has changed. _You_ have. Remember?"

He grumbled something incoherent and turned to stare out of the window. Amelia sighed. Why couldn't they all just get along?

On the other side of the plane, Filia was wondering the exact same thing as Xelloss continued to mutter to himself.

"Oh, get over it," she said, crossing her arms. "I told you that I was going on this trip to spend time with my friends. You're the one who wanted to come along."

He threw the empty peanut bag on the tray in disgust. He was used to flying first class where they served drinks in glasses, the snacks were a selection of fruits, cheeses and nuts, and each seat had its own personal TV with a wide variety of programs to watch. Squirming in this tiny seat, he fought to find a comfortable position as he dreamed of the wide comfy leather seats and noise-canceling headsets of first class. Flying like this was barbaric.

"I still think we could have flown up there on our own. You know how I feel about that guy."

"I also know how he feels about you, and I'll tell you what I told him: back off. He's my brother, and I'm dating you, whether either of you like it or not. You don't have to like each other, but I don't have to listen to both of your whining. I'm a grown woman who can make her own decisions."

Xelloss muttered under his breath, "It's not like he's your _real_ brother."

She grit her teeth. "So help me, Xelloss, if you keep this up, I'll find someone else to spend the week with."

He appeared as if was going to say something in return, but Filia glanced at him, and he kept his mouth shut. She put her hand on his, and her whole demeanor changed.

"Good. Now can we just enjoy our vacation?" she pleaded, batting her eyes at him, and amazingly enough, he relented.

"You weren't talking about another guy, were you?" He was smiling when he said it, but his eye cracked open to regard her.

She smirked. "Please. If you're any indication of my choice in men, I'd be hard-pressed to find someone just like you."

"So, that's the reason you came running back to me."

"If I remember correctly, _you_ came running back to _me_," she sniffed, turning her head away. He placed a finger beneath her chin and turned her head back so he could look her in the eye.

"Fine. You win," he said as his eyes searched hers.

"What?" she asked. His gaze always unnerved her, but his words gave her pause.

"But only because it's you." Their faces were mere inches away, and his breath tickled her neck.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered.

"Only because it's _you_ will I back off and try to be civil." Goosebumps went up her arms. He continued, "But if he badmouths me or Zelgadiss or anything, I can't hold back."

Filia sighed. "He won't say anything to you. And besides, if he's got Amelia, why would he say anything bad about Mister Zelgadiss?"

"Men are men, Filia. If Val's going out with her, then the closest competition will most certainly be verbally reamed."

She looked at him slyly. "You do realize that _you_ don't have any competition, right?"

Surprisingly, she saw him blush. He backed away from her a bit and smirked, trying to play off his momentary weakness. "I'd hope not. I wouldn't want to have to put anyone in jail unnecessarily."

Filia just smiled, knowing that it was a front, and rested her head on his shoulder. Little did he realize that it was the fact that he dropped his mask for her, and her alone, that made her adore him even more.

Lina could barely hear what her friends were saying in the seats in front of her, but she had a feeling that she really didn't want to know. Instead, she looked next to her at Gourry. He was sleeping, but he didn't look very comfortable, all squashed into a coach seat. His long legs were pressed up against the back of Filia's seat, and she was just glad that her friend knew not to recline.

Lina placed her hand on his, gently entwining her fingers with his, and rested her head against his shoulder. There wasn't much she could do about his job, or the danger he would face in S.W.A.T., but there was something she could do for him. Closing her eyes, she snuggled against him, gently stroking his arm with her free hand.

She could _be_ there for him.

Gourry opened his eye and glanced down at Lina. Her presence was soothing after the long two weeks he had been working double shifts. They had talked out their problems, and she had returned to being herself, but this was the first time she had really initiated any close contact. She wasn't too thrilled with public displays of affection, but that never bothered him. Having her holding his hand and leaning on him was more than he ever expected. Taking his chances, he leaned over and planted a kiss on the top of her head, then closed his eyes and returned to trying to get some sleep.

Beside him, Lina smiled contentedly.

* * *

When the plane landed, Amelia became even more excited at the fact that within a couple of hours, they would be sitting in the suite at the resort, enjoying the crisp, cold mountain air. When the plane finally came to a stop, and the flight attendants announced that they could de-board, she stood and reached up to pull down her carry-on from the overhead compartment. Her fingertips could barely reach the handle, and she tried to stretch a little more. 

"Need help?" Val asked, smirking at her predicament.

"Either that, or I need to grow five inches. Can you get my bag down please, Val?"

He stood and easily reached over her head, retrieving first her bag and then his own. Amelia looked at the others and saw that, of the girls, only Filia had been able to reach the overhead bins. It sucked being short.

They all filed out of the plane following Amelia, at first unsure of where they needed to catch their connecting flight. They didn't wonder very long. Upon exiting the gate, they were met by a large cardboard sign that read 'Seyruun Party'.

"We're the 'Seyruun Party'," Amelia said brightly to the person holding the sign. "I'm Amelia."

The young woman was wearing white Capri pants and a red and white blouse under a white denim jacket and white deck shoes; it appeared that she would fit in more at the marina than at the airport. She had a long braid of dark green hair hanging past her waist.

The woman regarded her, as if trying to determine if she was really who she said she was. Then she returned the smile.

"Hi," she said, shaking Amelia's hand. She lowered her sign and removed her sunglasses. "Name's Shura. I'm going to be flying you into Aspen today."

"I didn't know pilots pick up their passengers," Gourry mentioned, truly surprised.

"They don't, usually. But your connecting flight has been cancelled, and I've been commissioned to fly you in."

"Just us?" Val asked, his brow raised in disbelief.

"You're the only ones on my list. Besides, I can't get many more people aboard my plane, so if you're planning on bringing anyone else, you'd probably have to stow them away with the luggage." She looked Val up and down appraisingly, and then turned to leave. Amelia felt her friend bristle beside her.

"Speaking of luggage, will ours be transferred to your plane, Miss Shura?" Amelia asked, trying to divert the conversation as they followed the pilot away from the gate.

"Being done as we speak. As for your carry-ons, you'll have to put them in a compartment in the back. The fit is tight for you taller boys," she said, glancing at Gourry and Val, "but the flight is short, so it won't be that bad."

They followed her to the far end of the airport, to a gate that didn't even have a flight board posted. She walked over to the attendant and showed him her ID and her flight manifest. He looked it over and checked it against everyone's plane tickets. Scanning them each, he checked the computer and after a minute, returned everyone's tickets and escorted them down the hallway. The walkway was descending, and when he opened the door, they were led out across the tarmac to the awaiting jet.

It was a Cessna Citation Jet, and Amelia wondered if all the passengers who were shunted onto other flights were as lucky to get a private jet as they were. The stairway was lowered, and Shura stepped lightly on it and into the plane. Amelia followed her, and once inside, was told to place her carry-on in a large compartment in the back and take a seat in one of the plush leather seats. Once everyone was inside, Shura locked the compartment and pulled the door closed. She squeezed into her seat and put on her headset, fiddling with the controls and adjusting her mic.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," she said, and though she was just a couple of feet in front of them, her voice issued out of speakers right above their heads. "We'll be taxiing to the runway in just a moment. You know the drill about the seatbelts in the big planes. It's the same thing in mine, so buckle up now. I'll have to let you know that there is no bathroom on this plane, so there won't be a need to undo your seatbelt at any time. It is a forty minute flight, so sit tight. We'll be landing in Aspen at approximately four forty-five PM."

"That wasn't a normal flight announcement," Val grumbled.

"I don't think this is a normal flight," Lina told him.

They were in the air again within minutes, but this time, since they were in a much smaller plane, it seemed that the going was rougher. There was more turbulence, and everyone, Xelloss included, was gripping the hand rests tightly.

"Can't you keep this thing steady?" Val yelled, feeling his lunch coming back up.

Surprisingly, the pilot seemed to hear, because the plane suddenly dove, and then rose back up quickly before making a hard left and then a hard right.

"Sorry about that," the voice came on above them. Amelia could almost see the smirk on Shura's face. "We hit a bad pocket back there."

"Like hell she did," he growled, but Amelia put her hand over his mouth while Lina whacked him on the head. Filia, fortunately, was too far to reach him.

Amelia prayed that they would land soon, so Val wouldn't go ballistic and get them all killed.

* * *

They landed safely, despite Val's griping, and the group caught a shuttle to the Celestial Resort. It was a gorgeous four-story building with a rustic yet modern air about it, complete with a slate hearth in the lobby surrounded by comfortable couches, chairs and tables, a large swimming pool and Jacuzzi in the courtyard (though Amelia highly doubted that anyone would be doing any swimming any time soon), as well as a restaurant, a bar, and its own day spa. It was situated between the mountain's two ski lifts, and, to Val's relief, was less than thirty minutes away from Snowmass and Buttermilk ski areas. He had bugged her non-stop about making sure that they travel to those two areas as well so he could check out the snowboarding terrain parks and pipes. 

Amelia could hardly get as excited as he was. Though she enjoyed watching skiing and snowboarding, she had never done either, so she had no idea what the big deal was about. Lina had expressed interest in going with him, and Amelia was only too happy to let the two talk about it.

"Hi," she said to the receptionist at the front desk. They had just walked through the lobby, and the rest of the group decided to relax in front of the huge fireplace. "I'm here to check in for Naga Seyruun. I'm Amelia, her sister."

The woman looked down her long nose at Amelia before typing something into the computer. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a severe knot at the back of her head, giving her face a stretched look about it. Her name tag read 'Candy'.

"Naga Seyruun… Yes, I have her listed here under the Regal suite. But you say you're her sister? I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to check in without her."

Amelia's ever-present smile dropped a little. "What? But she said that she was going to call in to let you know that I'll be checking in for her."

"I'm sorry, young lady," she said condescendingly. "That's our policy. _She_ must be the one to check in."

"But she's not going to be here for another three hours! What are we going to do?"

"You're more than welcome to wait here in the lounge until she arrives, but if it gets too late, we'll have to ask you to obtain accommodations on your own. And unfortunately, we're all booked up here."

Amelia's smile must have completely vanished, because Lina had left the others and joined her.

"What's going on here?" she asked, her tone impatient.

"And you might be?"

Lina twitched. "I _might_ be the person who needs to talk to your manager if we don't get some answers. Now what's this about being booked up?"

"As I was explaining to this young lady," Candy said, trying to smile but not quite pulling it off, "I just can't allow her to check in for her sister; you'll all have to wait for her to arrive. And if she doesn't arrive by this evening, you and your friends will have to find lodgings elsewhere."

Amelia had had enough. While Lina had Candy's attention, Amelia's eyes had taken in the lobby, with its oak and gold trim and bronze statues, and the other patrons who were on their way to ski or shop or who were merely trying to relax by the fire, and she decided to take the most direct and Lina-influenced path.

"I demand to see your manager!" she said loudly pointing at Candy's face, and sure enough, every single person in the lobby turned their heads to watch the scene unfold. "My sister, _Naga Seyruun_, the owner-designer of 'White Serpent Fashions' told me specifically this morning that she had called to let _someone_ here know that I would be checking in for her. I don't think she'd want to know that her sister was having difficulty carrying out her request because _someone_ wasn't resourceful enough to check with her manager before trying to kick out a whole _group_ of her friends."

Candy flushed scarlet, and after an uncomfortable moment, ducked back into the office without a word to the girls. Lina turned back to Amelia with a smile and a thumbs-up. The other patrons, seeing that there was not going to be a galactic confrontation, melted away to their own tasks.

Lina bowed to Amelia. "Good work there, Amelia. You're learning, grasshopper."

With a smile of her own, Amelia returned the bow. They were chuckling when Candy finally emerged from the office, followed by a stern-looking man in a three-piece suit. His name tag read 'George.'

Lina whispered, "… and I will love him and pet him and squeeze him…"

Amelia almost laughed out loud, but elbowed Lina instead.

"Miss Amelia Seyruun?"

"Yes."

"I'm George Tanner, the Assistant Manager of the Celestial. How can I be of assistance?"

"Well, my sister booked the Regal suite, but a last minute change of plans prevented her from accompanying us. She'll be here in three hours, but she instructed me to go ahead and check in for her. She said that she called in to let you guys know that I would be doing this for her. If we don't check in, when she gets here, you'll have to deal with more than just me and my friends. She can have an itchy trigger finger when it comes to lawyers and law suits."

He put his hands out in a placating gesture.

"That won't be necessary, Miss Amelia. _I_ was the one who spoke with Miss Seyruun earlier today, and she explained the whole thing to me. I apologize for the confusion. Now, if I can just see some identification, I'll go ahead and have you checked in. Your sister gave me all the pertinent credit card information personally, so you don't have to worry about that."

Amelia produced her driver's license and showed it to him. Before long, he had her checked in and signing an information card. After she handed it back, he slid four key cards over to her.

"Will you need to see her when she arrives?" Amelia asked. "I want to make sure I let her know whether or not she needs to."

"Yes, just to verify her account information. If you can, please let her know?"

Amelia smiled. "I'll leave her a voicemail. She'll probably pick it up when she gets off the plane."

Lina finally spoke up since Amelia looked as if she was about to leave.

"Hey, aren't you going to give us a complimentary gift basket or dinners or something for inconveniencing us like that? It was totally embarrassing to have been talked down to like she did to us," she said, indicating the woman who looked as if she would be on the receiving end of a tongue-lashing later.

To his credit, George smiled. "Of course, Miss. We'll deliver something up to your room later. We hope that you'll enjoy your stay."

"Thank you," Amelia and Lina said together, and they rejoined their group.

After explaining what had happened to everyone, they found the elevators and rode up to the fourth floor amidst grumblings about the quality of the resort. If they encountered this much trouble just trying to check in, then what was the rest of their stay going to be like?

When they arrived at the suite, however, they all had to gasp in surprise. The suite was enormous. They walked into the living room space, which had two full-sized couches and wing chairs around a coffee table. There was a flat panel plasma television with a built-in DVD and gaming system on one wall. The guest rooms were off of this wall, and each held two full-sized beds. The bathroom was next to the front door, and it had a separate shower and tub, a dual vanity, and a separate water closet. Next to the living room was a half-kitchen, with a small stove, a sink, a dishwasher, and a stocked refrigerator. Off of the kitchen was the master suite with a king-sized bed and its own private closet and bathroom. A balcony ran along the length of the suite, and could be accessed through a set of double doors in the living room and another in the master bedroom.

"Wow! This is so cool!" Lina gushed, standing in the middle of the living room and spinning around. Behind her, Gourry was struggling to bring in both his and her luggage.

"Look at the view!" Filia exclaimed, running to the double doors and pressing her fingertips to the window panes. Xelloss shook his head and picked up her suitcase which had fallen over when she left it to admire the scenery.

"This place is huge!" Amelia yelled as she ran from the guest rooms across the living room and kitchen to the master bedroom and bath. "There's even a whirlpool Jacuzzi in the master bathroom!" Val sighed as he closed the door behind them all and pushed Amelia's luggage out of the way.

The men looked at each other, and in a temporary moment of male bonding, they all planted themselves in front of the television and turned it on.

"Come on, you guys. We have to figure out the rooming assignments," Lina said, kicking Val's feet off of the coffee table.

Xelloss shrugged as he flipped through the channels. "It's easy enough. Filia and I will take one room, you and Gourry can have another, and Amelia and Val can have the master bedroom."

The blushing girls began yelling and throwing things at him, and the unfortunate Gourry and Val ended up getting pegged as well.

"Hey, cut it out," Val yelled, and Amelia and Filia froze with pillows ready to throw; Lina kept looking around for something to chuck at them, so he continued quickly, "The room's technically not ours. Naga booked it, so she's probably going to want the master bedroom to herself. Amelia can stay with her."

"So then, what about the rooms?" Amelia asked.

"I think the girls should stay in the same room," he muttered, shooting dirty looks at Xelloss.

"That's not for you to decide," Xelloss stated.

"It's not yours either," Filia said, crossing her arms and sitting in one of the chairs.

"What do you think, Gourry," Lina wondered, though her blush said more than her words.

He would have loved to be able to spend the night with her, but he didn't want to do it with other people ten feet away. Deciding to try Lina's anger, he said, "Why don't we wait for Naga to get here so we can make sure she approves. If she doesn't, it's easy for her to toss one of us out of here, right?"

Everyone looked at each other, trying to gauge each other's reactions. Finally, Lina laid down the law.

"Gourry's right. It's technically her place. If I had it my way, I'd have the master bedroom anyway, so I guess we owe it to her to put us all up."

Nodding, they all decided it was for the best. Before long, though, there was a full scale battle going on as they found the video game system and were playing a round robin tournament of 'Crash Team Racing'. So far, Lina seemed to be winning most often, but Filia surprised her by narrowly edging her out.

Amelia sat back and smiled, content in the presence of her friends. They really made this trip worthwhile. But, back in her mind, she wondered what Zelgadiss was doing, and whether or not he was going to be alone this coming New Year.

Deciding that she needed some fresh air, she collected her purse and took one of the key cards.

"I'm going to take a look around. Does anyone want to come with me?" she asked, hoping at least one of them would. Unfortunately, they all waved her off.

"We'll go down later," Lina said as she watched Gourry throw a banana peel at Filia who spun out and crashed into a wall.

Filia growled, "You'll pay for that!"

Shaking her head, Amelia left the room, smiling at the antics of her friends. She went downstairs and headed down one wing of the building. There, she found the day spa and the pool entrance, as well as the private fitness center for the guests. Taking a brochure for the Spa, she looked at what they had to offer. It sounded like a great deal for relaxing, and she wondered if anyone would be interested in going. Well, she'd have to ask them later.

Trying the other wing of the building, she found the restaurant and the bar, which, to her delight, had a karaoke machine. She was about to ask if they had a Karaoke Night when her stomach growled loud enough for the people around her to glance in her direction. Smirking it off, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number. After a couple of rings, someone picked up.

"_Amelia?_"

"Miss Lina? Are you guys hungry yet?"

"_Well, that's a stupid question._"

"Okay. I'm downstairs at the restaurant, and I wanted to know if you guys want to come down and join me. I'm starving."

She could hear Lina asking everyone and then a cacophony of answers back. She had to pull the phone away from her ear as Lina yelled at them to answer one at a time. Before long, she had a consensus.

"_We're coming down, but we don't want to eat here. Let's go out and find a restaurant in town._"

"Okay. I'll meet you in the lobby."

Within minutes, her friends had joined her, and the group trekked out together into town. The sidewalks were clear of snow, yet Amelia still treaded carefully. Though she was wearing boots, there were still ice patches here and there, and she had already slipped once.

"Hey," Filia asked, as she held onto Xelloss for balance. "What exactly was Sylphiel's reason for not coming with us?"

Lina answered after a moment, subconsciously fingering one of her large pearl earrings. "She went back up to New Sairaag for the holidays. She wanted to see about a job at UNS."

"A job? She's thinking about moving?"

Gourry answered this time. "Yeah. She got a job offer this past September, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to do it. I guess she's thinking about it. After all, I think that's where her mother's family is from."

Amelia surreptitiously watched Lina. A fleeting look of misery passed across the older girl's face, but it was gone before anyone else noticed it. Lina kept glancing up at Gourry as they walked, but he seemed oblivious to her possible discomfort about the subject. Amelia had a pretty good idea that Sylphiel had only really considered the job after Lina and Gourry had become a couple.

The group decided on a small restaurant about a mile away from the resort. They had walked for a long time, and Amelia was beginning to get light-headed. After all, she had hardly eaten anything that morning for breakfast. But when it came time to order lunch, she found that she could only eat a cheeseburger and some fries, even though her eyes wanted to order as much as Lina had.

Finally sated, they decided on a more leisurely pace on the way back. Lina and Val wanted to check out a nearby sports shop with their collection of ski and snowboard equipment. Gourry remained with Lina, while Xelloss and Filia wandered off to look at the shops up and down the main street. Amelia joined them for part of the journey, but decided to continue on when Filia dragged him off to see a tea room on another block. So Amelia found herself alone as she walked the streets of Aspen in the late afternoon, but she didn't feel lonely at all.

She enjoyed strolling the street by herself, content to let her mind wander where it would. Of course, her thoughts dwelled on Zelgadiss and whether or not he missed her. She imagined that he missed her, that he would do anything to see her again and make things right. After all, why else would he have bought her such an expensive gift? Then again, she imagined that he could care less about her, that he would rather sever all his ties with her and erase her completely from his life. After all, the gift could have been something that he had ordered a long time ago, and he figured he'd might as well give it to her than not.

Deciding that negative thoughts wouldn't serve her on this trip, she snapped herself out of it and continued on, humming into the breeze.

Boots crunched on the ice as a figure followed Amelia down the street.

* * *

Zelgadiss sat in a corner behind a big potted plant at the Celestial Resort, surrounded by luggage. He glanced over at Naga, who was clearly working the man behind the front desk. She was doing her best to lean over provocatively to give the guy a great view of her cleavage. Zelgadiss shook his head and returned his gaze to the front door. 

The flight had passed quickly, but he supposed that was because he had been so comfortable. He had to remember that first class was worth it. There was a shuttle ready to pick them up, and it was hardly a bother to get their things from the shuttle to the lobby where he had been waiting all of two minutes for Naga.

Unsure of what he would do when he saw Amelia again, Zelgadiss tried his best to figure out alternate lodgings. Perhaps he could find a motel somewhere and ride out the rest of this vacation in solitude. His thoughts, however, were soon interrupted.

Amelia had just stepped into the lobby carrying several grocery bags.

She looked so adorable, bundled up in a thick pink winter coat and jeans. He couldn't remember if he had ever seen her wear boots, but he could see that they were heavy, probably with deep treads. Zelgadiss almost smiled at the thought that she had gotten them specifically so that she wouldn't slip and fall. Instead, he found that he shrunk back behind the plant so that he could watch her without being seen. She hadn't seen her sister at all, and she continued on to the elevators.

Several young men, having seen her alone, approached her, and Zelgadiss poised himself, ready to spring to her aid if she needed. They were near enough that he could hear what they were saying.

"… sure you don't need any help with all of that? Looks awfully heavy for a little thing like you," one of them was saying.

"Oh, no," she answered, smiling. Zelgadiss knew that uncomfortable smile. It was the one she had when she was contemplating whether or not it would be worth it to cause a scene. "I'm fine."

One of the other men leered. "You can say that again."

Amelia's smile faltered, and Zelgadiss could see that she was tightening her grasp on the bags. He was just about to get up and step out from behind the plant when the elevator arrived and _Val_ stepped out.

"There you are, Amelia," he said, approaching her. When he saw the situation she was in, he took the bags from her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Sorry, guys. She's spoken for."

Glaring back at him, the young men moved away, while Amelia thanked Val and entered the elevator with him. Zelgadiss remained where he was, silently fuming over his dumb luck. It seemed that no matter what he did, he would never get Amelia away from that guy. She looked so happy to see Val that Zelgadiss wondered where he would fit into her life. _If_ he would fit into her life.

"Come on. Let's go," Naga told Zelgadiss. He looked up and was surprised to see her standing before him. "They're already upstairs, and I want to make sure I lay claim to my bed before Lina decides to commandeer it."

Deciding not to tell her that he had already seen Amelia and Val, Zelgadiss gathered their luggage and followed her to the elevators. He felt several eyes on him, and he began to feel self-conscious standing next to such a beautiful woman, especially when he was carrying all the luggage.

They arrived on the fourth floor, and he meekly followed Naga down one of the wings until they arrived at suite 410. She slid the key card into the lock and opened the door.

Stepping into the room, Naga announced loudly, "I'm here!" and threw her arms open wide, as if ready to bask in the expected clamor of welcome. Instead, she received a few scattered 'hellos' and an, 'It's about time!' from Lina. There was, however, someone who was excited to see her.

"Gracia!" Amelia yelled, and came flying out of nowhere to wrap her sister in a big hug – never mind that they had just seen each other that morning. "I'm so glad you're… here…"

She had just looked behind her sister at the person who was slowly dragging in Naga's luggage. Her smile vanished, and she just stared at Zelgadiss, wondering why he was on a vacation with her sister. Did this mean that… that… _they_ were together?

She felt sick.

"Guess who I picked up to join us," Naga was saying to the rest of the group, and their eyes fell on Zelgadiss. The reaction to his presence was definitely mixed. Gourry was genuinely glad to see his friend, while Lina and Val seemed torn between anxiety and concern, Filia was aghast, and Xelloss appeared amused.

But it was Amelia who finally spoke.

"Hello, Mister Zelgadiss," she said cheerfully, with a smile. Turning to her sister, she asked, "Do you want me to bring your bags to your room, Gracia?"

Naga didn't seem to notice the increasing tension in the room. "Yeah. I'm taking the master bedroom, Lina," she said pointedly. Lina shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't care. Naga looked around and realized that everyone's luggage was propped up against the walls. "Why aren't you all unpacked yet? You arrived hours ago."

While Naga talked, Zelgadiss tuned her out as he just stood there, staring openly at Amelia. There was something different about her, but he couldn't put a finger on what exactly it was. She seemed smaller, somehow… but that wasn't quite right.

As Lina was explaining their rooming problems, Amelia stepped over to Zelgadiss, and he wondered if this was his chance. Her smile was hardly convincing to him. He could tell that she was extremely upset.

"I'll take my sister's bags, Mister Zelgadiss," she said, reaching out to take the luggage. She still refused to meet his gaze.

"Amelia," he began in a low voice, taking hold of her wrist, but Naga's voice interrupted his chance.

"… well, I'll call maintenance to fix it. As for the rooms, that's easy enough. My sister and I will take the master bedroom. And since _I'm_ not getting any this week, _you_ all won't either. Lina and Filia will have one room. You guys will have to work it out between you who gets the room and who gets the couches. Ladies, we have the master bathroom. Gents, you have this one."

She turned around to her sister, and Zelgadiss immediately released her hand.

"Tes, go ahead and bring our stuff to the room, okay?" She walked further into the living room to take a look around.

"Sure, Gracia!"

Amelia accepted two of the bags from Zelgadiss and disappeared as quickly as she could. Lina, meanwhile, hopped off the stool at the kitchen counter and went over to Zelgadiss, who was busy dragging his own luggage as well as Naga's last two bags into the suite. The door closed behind him.

"I'm surprised to see you here, Zel," Lina whispered. She reached over to get Naga's other bags. "Good to see you up and around. Just don't ruin this vacation for her, okay?"

His gaze rested on her, and for the first time in weeks, he spoke to his friend. "It's a long story, Lina, but believe me. I don't ever want to hurt her again."

Lina gave him a lingering look, which he chose to ignore, before she dragged Naga's luggage to her room. Miserably, Zelgadiss trudged over to where the guys were arguing about who would get the room and who would get the couches.

"Look. I didn't come on this vacation to sleep on a couch," Xelloss was saying.

Val muttered from his spot on the couch. "Live with it. I don't care where I sleep, as long as I get some rest tonight. I want to hit the slopes tomorrow."

"Well, then, that's easy," Gourry said. "Val and Xelloss can get the room…"

"No!"

"No!"

Zelgadiss put his hand on Gourry's shoulder. "Gourry, if you don't care where you sleep either, why don't you and Val take the couches. I'll deal with Xelloss," he said wearily.

"What do you mean, 'deal'?" Xelloss asked, clearly affronted.

"Just go," he said, pushing him along before him. "Get your stuff, okay?"

Everyone moved about the room, grabbing luggage and muttering as they claimed couches and beds. Gourry and Val unpacked what they could, and put their things away in the hall closet. Xelloss closed the door behind him when he entered the room. Zelgadiss was already placing his clothes in the dresser drawers.

"You've got some balls coming here," Xelloss said as he hung his slacks on a hanger in the closet.

"It wasn't my intention," Zelgadiss answered. "Naga tricked me. I thought we were going to Dragon's Peak."

"Heh. So you've moved on then?"

"What?"

"You're onto the other sister since you couldn't get the one you wanted?"

Zelgadiss had moved so fast that Xelloss could barely prepare himself for when he slammed into the wall.

"Say it again," he dared, growling inches from Xelloss' face as he pinned him to the wall with his forearm.

"Why else would you want to go to Dragon's Peak with Naga?" he croaked.

Zelgadiss released him.

"You wouldn't understand._ You_ still have family."

Xelloss rubbed at his neck as he opened an eye. "If I remember correctly, you do to, but you don't want to talk to him." At Zelgadiss' glare, he smirked and added, "But I understand now. Fair enough. So what are you going to do now?"

Zelgadiss sat down on his bed. Before long, he answered, "Nothing."

Xelloss just stared at him. He had never known Zelgadiss to be so downtrodden. Sure, he was angst-filled and he enjoyed brooding, but Xelloss had never seen him give up. Even when he had gone through all that crap years ago with Eris, he had been driven, full of anger and resentment. This Zelgadiss seemed empty. Defeated.

He resumed unpacking. "It's your call. I still think you should take her away from Val."

Zelgadiss said nothing, but turned his gaze to the door, where, somewhere beyond, Amelia was probably laughing and smiling without him.

That was hardly the case.

As Lina brought Naga's remaining bags to her room, she snagged Naga's arm and dragged her along with her to the master bedroom. When the three were inside, she shut the door behind her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lina demanded, dropping the luggage on the floor.

Naga turned a lazy gaze to her friend. "What does it look like I'm doing? Everyone's walking around on pins and needles, but no one's doing anything about it. If these two had it their way, they'd probably avoid each other for the rest of their lives and stay miserable."

"You just don't get it, do you…?" Lina began, but Amelia cut her off.

"Gracia! Did you tell Mister Zelgadiss anything I told you?" She appeared close to tears.

"No, of course not. And before you ask, he hasn't confided anything to me. But if you're so afraid of him, then you've got to deal with it. You didn't want him to spend the New Year alone, did you?"

"No."

"And you wanted him to come here with you before, didn't you?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Are you glad to see him?"

She was silent for a moment. "Yes," she finally said.

"Look. I'm not trying to interfere, but like I told Lina, if you two never talk, how are you going to work things out or move on? From here on out, it's up to you. If you choose not to talk to him, that's your decision. Just don't give me some crap later about how sad you are that you never got the chance to let him go or forgive him or apologize or anything. Here's your chance. Might as well start the New Year off right."

As Amelia sat on the bed, looking as miserable as Zelgadiss did, Lina stepped over to Naga and whispered, "Never thought I'd hear such logic coming from you."

Naga looked down at her friend, and couldn't help but feel proud of herself. Not even the great Lina Inverse had been able to help her sister with her relationship problems.

"I one-upped you, didn't I?" she asked smugly.

Lina whacked her on the back of the head. "It's not a competition!" she yelled.

"Gracia," Amelia began, and the two older girls stopped their arguing. "I'm going to go to sleep early tonight. I know you wanted to eat when you got here, but I'm not hungry anymore."

"You're not going to mope, are you?" Lina wondered.

"No. I'm just tired." She began to unpack her things, and once she found her pajamas and her toiletries, she disappeared into the bathroom.

"Did I do the wrong thing, Lina?" Naga asked, doubting herself.

"No. Your intentions were good. Let's leave them alone to work their problems out. Come on. Let's go eat."

* * *

The whole group went down for breakfast the next morning, and though Amelia and Zelgadiss consciously tried to sit on opposite ends of the table, everyone seemed to be working against them. They ended up sitting at the very end of the table across from each other. Xelloss and Filia were all the way on the other end, and Zelgadiss had a feeling that it wasn't where they had been sitting to begin with. Val sat next to Filia, with Naga sitting opposite from him. That was strange for Lina to separate Val and Amelia, but Zelgadiss decided that it must be because Lina tended to be clueless to everything around her when she was eating. Sighing, he stabbed a sausage with his fork and ate it. 

Filia was gushing about the upcoming ball at her grandfather's house next month, and he couldn't help but listen in.

"You're all invited, of course. Grandfather said that we can bring guests as long as we get the names to his assistant before the fifteenth."

Naga continued to eat. "What's so special about this guy again?" she said around her food.

Filia seemed mortified. "You mean that you don't know who the Mayor of Kataart is?"

"Tch. Of course I do. It's Mil-something or other."

Val spoke up before Filia could freak out. "It's Milgasia Gulden. And I still don't know what the big deal is," he said, shaking his head.

"Val! You know that Grandfather wants you there to help him to show that there's true peace between Saillune and Kataart at last."

"They don't need me to tell anyone that. Besides, if it were up to me, I wouldn't go at all. I hate the whole government of Kataart."

Amelia glanced over at Val and clearly wanted to give him some consolation, but since Lina was beside him, she was the one to put a comforting hand on his arm.

He shrugged. "Naw, don't worry 'bout it. Even if they hadn't ordered the slaughter of my family, I still wouldn't want to have anything to do with them. After all, they don't even consider you an adult until you're twenty years old. What kind of crap is that?" He smirked, trying to play off his momentary weakness.

Filia scoffed. "It's called being sensible. They reduced the legal age from twenty-five to twenty only thirteen years ago. You can't expect them to keep changing to fit in with the rest of the continent. And besides, Mister Milgasia didn't have anything to do with what happened to your family. Those men are either dead or behind bars. Kataart isn't the same city it was before."

"Easy for you to say," Val grumbled, but remained quiet after that, concentrating on eating his breakfast.

Once the conversation focused on a less touchy subject, Amelia glanced up at Zelgadiss and then returned her gaze to her own plate. She had barely touched her food, something that was becoming a bit of a habit, it seemed, and she forced herself to take another bite of pancake. Next to her, Lina tried to instigate a conversation on their side of the table.

"So, Zel. You're up and about. Are you going to go skiing with us?"

"I wasn't planning on it," he said, taking a sip of his coffee. "My physical therapist told me that I needed to keep away from any… strenuous activities for a while." His gaze flicked up to Amelia and then away, and his cheeks reddened. He coughed into his hand.

"Well, if you change your mind, we've got passes," Gourry added, but Zel shook his head.

"Do you know if they've got a workout room here? I've got to continue with my physical therapy exercises."

Lina and Gourry shrugged and looked up the table. Next to them, Naga and Val shook their heads, and Xelloss and Filia both answered, "I don't know."

"Well, maybe there's something in town…"

"There's one here." Amelia finally spoke up.

Their eyes met, and it seemed that the tension between them was a palpable thing, weighing heavily in the air. Everyone at the table (except Gourry, who continued eating) seemed to be holding their breath, furtively waiting to see how the situation would unfold.

"Where is it?" he asked.

"There's a fitness center in the east wing of the building. You'll need your room key to gain access to it."

They were still regarding each other, as if wanting to say more, but not being able to. Finally, Zelgadiss broke eye contact.

"Thank you." He picked up his coffee mug and took another sip.

"You're welcome." She picked up a slice of bacon and took a bite.

Everyone else glanced at each other warily. Lina raised an eyebrow and shrugged, returning to her breakfast as if nothing uncomfortable had occurred. Soon enough, the rest of the group resumed their eating. Afterwards, they all returned to the suite to dress and relax before going down to go skiing. When they were ready, they all filed out of the suite, leaving Zelgadiss behind.

"We're going to the lift at the end of the street and to the right," Gourry tried to explain as he left. "I don't remember the name, but I think there's a ski lodge there. You can meet us there later, if you want."

Zelgadiss clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Maybe later. Thanks Gourry."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you tonight, then."

Zelgadiss waved to his friend as he disappeared down the hallway. Left to his thoughts, he wondered what the heck he could do to make his life any better. Returning to the suite and pulling out his phone, he dialed a number.

"_Hello?_"

"Hi, it's Zelgadiss."

"_Hey, there. What are you up to?_"

"I'm in Aspen."

"_You're bullshitting me._"

"I wish I were. A friend of mine hijacked me. We're all staying at the Celestial."

"_Well, crap. If you had told me…_"

"It was all last minute. Don't worry. You'll still get paid."

"_I wasn't worried about that. I just froze my butt off last night following your girl around town. For someone who's in danger, she sure wanders off by herself a lot._"

"Well, I don't think she realizes that a threat may still be out there. Hey, I'm still laid up. I couldn't join them for skiing. They're going to the lift that's at the end of the road from the Celestial and to the right. Do you know which one?"

"_Yeah. I'm about a quarter mile from there. Don't you worry, Zelgadiss. I'll be there in five. Besides, there's one member of their group that it's a joy to torment._"

Zelgadiss could almost hear the smirk that went along with the words.

"The less I know the better."

"_Oh, come on. I wasn't _that_ bad to you when we were working together!_"

"No, Shura, you weren't. But you certainly know how to try a man's patience."

"_That's why teasing that mint-head is fun!_"

It couldn't be…

"You… you're not talking about… Val. Are you?"

"_Yeah. That's his name._"

Zelgadiss groaned. "Shura. That's her boyfriend. If you screw around with that relationship and they find out that you know me, then it will look like I made you break them up or something!"

"_Break them up? They aren't going out, are they?_"

"Well, yeah…"

"_Look, all I know is that the blonde girl and the guy with purple hair are a couple, the redhead and the blond guy are a couple, but Amelia and Val definitely are not. Trust me. I've watched enough relationships progress around me to know._"

"I'm not going to argue this with you. Just give me a call later, okay?"

"_Then it looks like there's something else for me to do while I'm snowboarding down the mountain…_"

"Goodbye," Zelgadiss said, cutting her off. He heard her laugh, and then a click telling him that she had hung up the phone.

It wasn't as if he hated Shura. In fact, he thought she was a great person to have around in a pinch. She worked for a private security company, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. He had met her in Saillune two years ago. There had been a threat called in on some big businessman's life, and Shura had been hired for his personal protection. She had contacted Zelgadiss' Captain, and since Zelgadiss was working on a special as-needed basis, he was offered to her as Saillune's S.W.A.T. specialist.

After working together for a couple of weeks, they soon discovered that it was a more complicated case than either had thought. They set a trap that was easily sprung when Shura flew the businessman to Wolfpack Island, and Zelgadiss discovered that the businessman's wife had a bomb in her purse. The woman had wanted to blow him up when he left that evening while she remained on the island. Thanks to Shura and Zelgadiss, the bomb was disarmed, and the wife was in jail by that evening.

He had kept in touch with Shura since then, but nothing more than a healthy respect for the other had ever developed. She was far too wild for his tastes, and he was far too cynical for hers. But regardless of what they thought of each other, they both got the job done.

Zelgadiss walked over to the door to the balcony and gazed out of the window. Beyond the few buildings before him, tiny dots were moving down the mountain, skiing and snowboarding, and he wondered how Amelia would fare learning how to ski.

* * *

Amelia decided that she had become exceptionally good at falling. 

She had rented skis, and like any good student, had listened carefully when the instructor had explained to her the basics of skiing. Lean with your body. Keep your knees loose. Point your toes together when you want to stop…

He didn't exactly explain that when she got to the top of the ski lift, the only way down without help was _down_. It hadn't looked _that_ steep when she was at the bottom, but when she got to the beginning of the ski run and looked down at the slope that she would have to traverse, she realized that it was indeed _very_ steep. No bunny slopes here.

Lina and Val went boarding down one slope, howling with delight, Naga, Filia, and Xelloss took off skiing down another at a more statelier pace, while Gourry was nice enough to stay with and try to help Amelia while she learned all about falling face-first into the snow. So, after almost crawling down the mountain, she was absolutely exhausted, sweating in her thickly layered clothing.

That was when Val suggested that she try snowboarding, since both feet were attached to _one_ board. So Amelia made the switch, sat on the lift back up the mountain, and was immediately sorry she had listened to her friend. This time, instead of falling and pushing herself back up and onward with her poles, when she fell, she was down for the count. How the heck do you get moving on a snowboard anyway? Gravity be damned.

She had finally begun to get the hang of it when she realized that she had built up speed and had hardly any idea about how to stop. No toes to point here. The next thing she knew, she was face-down in another snow bank, with no desire whatsoever to get back up.

"Hey, did you need some help?"

Amelia pulled her face out of the snow and looked behind her. To her surprise, Shura, their pilot, was standing there with a smile.

"No. I was just demonstrating how good I've become at falling down," she said as she flipped over and rested the back of her head in the snow. "I don't think I'm any good at this sort of thing."

Shura laughed. "No one is on their first day. At least you've learned something that most people don't think is important, but actually is. Learning the correct way to fall can help to prevent injuries. Don't feel so bad. This slope isn't the best one for beginners to learn on. Buttermilk is better." She reached down and pulled Amelia to her feet. "There's also a pretty cool terrain park and a superpipe over there."

Amelia looked down at Shura's feet. Sure enough, she was on a snowboard. Before she could stop herself, she said, "Val's really good on a snowboard. Maybe we should go there tomorrow."

"Val, huh? You think he'd mind a challenge?" she said cockily.

Amelia smiled. "He always says he's not, but you should try him. Oh, but we only have passes for Aspen. Val was going to see if he could go there on his own…"

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've got connections. Why do you think I'm here? I got to fly you all up here and spend the week boarding before I've got to head back."

"Wow. Miss Shura, that would be so cool."

Before Shura could reply, however, they were showered with snow as Val came skidding to a stop before them.

"Hey! Watch what you're doing! Do you even know how rude that is?" Shura yelled, wiping snow out of her collar.

Val looked her up and down. "Yeah, I do. I thought you were messing with my friend."

"Val, she's not messing with me. In fact, she said that she could get us passes to Buttermilk tomorrow."

"Yeah," Shura growled. "If you're so good, you should have known that this wouldn't be an easy slope for her to learn on. You should go there if you want her to learn properly."

Val regarded her with distrust. "So let me get this straight. You're going to help us get passes to Buttermilk for nothing."

"I never said 'for nothing'," she scoffed.

He pointed a gloved finger at her face. "Ha! I thought so!"

"I just want a good challenge, and if you're as good as she says you are, then it's worth it to me to do it."

"Miss Lina's pretty good, too, but I don't think she does the pipe or anything…" Amelia tried to interject, but the two didn't hear her over their bickering. Before long, they had taken off down the mountain, and she was left to scramble her way down by herself.

Deciding against tempting fate a third time, Amelia returned her equipment and contented herself with sitting at the lodge and drinking a nice hot cup of cocoa and watching the skiers and snowboarders weave their way down the mountain. Maybe tomorrow, she could try the easier slopes, and if that didn't work, she could always play in the snow.

Amelia had lunch with her sister, but since she had picked at her food while Naga wolfed hers down, a few minutes later Naga returned to the slopes, leaving Amelia behind. The others, it seemed, were in their own world, completely content to shoot down the mountain, cruise back up, and do it all over again. Luckily, Amelia wasn't left alone for long. Shura turned out to be an interesting woman, as she had joined Amelia after lunch to engage in people watching. Amelia found her to be funny and tough, very much like Lina, and the two got along well. Shura, it seemed, spent much of her time in Colorado Springs and Aspen, and many of the locals knew her by sight.

When the group began to trickle back into the lodge, Amelia invited her to have dinner with them. Politely declining, her new friend excused herself after telling her that she would pick them up the next day to go skiing at Buttermilk. Val watched her leave and grumbled something to himself as he sat down at the table they had been sitting at. Amelia merely took in his behavior with a smile and continued to drink her cocoa.

By the time everyone had come in from skiing, they all wanted to go out right away to have dinner in town, but Amelia insisted on returning to the suite. General consensus dictated that it would be easier to go to have dinner right then and there, but her stubbornness won out (after all, this _was_ her father's birthday gift to her), and they all reluctantly complied with her request.

Zelgadiss was sitting in the living room watching a hockey game when they returned, and he seemed surprised to see them.

"We're going out to eat, Zel," Gourry explained. "You want to come with us?"

He seemed unwilling at first, but after a quick glance around the room to check the group's attitude, he got up and went into the room to put on his shoes. Amelia, meanwhile, had disappeared into her room, and returned dressed in jeans and a sweater.

"Why did you need to change?" Naga asked. "This isn't the Oscars. You don't need to change your outfit every time you do something new."

Amelia scowled up at her sister as she tugged on her boots. "Well, unlike all of you, I spent most of my time on that mountain getting snow all over me. My clothes were still wet under my jacket," she complained, trying not to notice when Zelgadiss reentered the room.

Zelgadiss put on his jacket and tried not to let his imagination run away with that one. Once Amelia was ready, everyone tromped back out of the suite. They ended up eating at a nearby buffet at Lina's request. She had said that she needed to replenish all the energy that skiing had taken out of her. Gourry didn't seem to need a reason, and though the Seyruun sisters took it upon themselves to catch up to the dynamic duo of eating, Amelia's eyes, it seemed, were bigger than her stomach; she only had one heaping plateful of food, and she didn't even finish that. Xelloss, Filia, Zelgadiss and Val ate decent portions, but nowhere neared the amount of food their four friends had consumed.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, spent lazing about the suite watching TV. By ten o'clock Amelia, Lina and Filia declared that they were tired, and the group began to slowly disperse. Zelgadiss retreated to his room, but long after Xelloss was asleep, he lay in bed, wondering about Amelia's excuse for returning to the suite before going out to eat. Lina especially, had been very vocal before dinner about the fact that everyone but Amelia had wanted to go straight from lodge. He couldn't help but suspect that she had wanted to include him in their plans. As he finally drifted off to sleep, he wondered what he would do if they invited him to go with them to Buttermilk the next day.

* * *

Zelgadiss didn't have much time to make an informed decision the next morning. He felt as if he had just fallen asleep when Xelloss awoke him with a loud, "Zelgadiss!" 

"What?" He sat up quickly, reaching for the nightstand before he realized that he wasn't at home and that there was no gun in the top drawer. He groaned. "You're once again lucky I don't have my gun with me, Xelloss."

Xelloss smirked as he toweled off his hair. "Ah, ever the morning person, I see. You'd better get ready. Amelia's friend is picking us up in thirty minutes."

"What time is it?"

"It's six thirty. Get a move on!"

"Okay, okay."

Xelloss grinned again and pulled a long-sleeved t-shirt on over his head before exiting the room, closing the door behind him. Through the door, Zelgadiss heard him tell someone that he was going to be joining them. Then it hit him. He had just agreed to go with them…

Stupid.

Promising himself that he would throttle Xelloss later, Zelgadiss got up and got ready. He had a feeling that this was going to be a very long day. When he finally emerged from his room five minutes later, he was surprised to see that almost everyone was up and eating breakfast. Lina was the only one missing, it seemed.

"Hurry up and eat, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia told him from the kitchen. She was wearing an apron and appeared to be juggling flipping pancakes, cooking sausages and bacon, scrambling eggs, and serving coffee. It was a miracle that she hadn't burnt herself or spilled anything. "Miss Lina will be out of the shower pretty soon," she added in a whisper when he sat down at the table.

He was so surprised that she had even spoken freely to him, that he immediately did as he was told. Amelia finished up and pushed a huge plateful of pancakes across the counter, just as Lina wandered out from the master bedroom.

"Breakfast is ready, Miss Lina," Amelia announced, handing her a plate.

Lina took half of the pile of pancakes that Amelia had made before moving on to attack the meats and eggs. Amelia took two pancakes, a slice of bacon, and a spoonful of eggs and sat down at the last remaining seat, which was, Zelgadiss noticed, once again next to him. She poured herself a glass of orange juice and asked him to pass the salt and pepper. As he handed them to her, her fingertips trailed on his hand for a split second longer than necessary, and to his dismay, his face heated up.

No one seemed to notice, however, and he concentrated solely on eating. Before long, everyone had finished and Amelia happily announced that it was time to go. They deposited their plates in the dishwasher, threw away the trash, cleaned up the kitchen and were pulling on their jackets by the time Gourry's watch chimed seven o'clock.

He was surprised again to find out that they were going to be picked up by the pilot who had flown them there. Zelgadiss inwardly groaned. Leave it to Amelia to befriend the woman he had hired to keep an eye on her. An SUV limo pulled up and Shura hopped out of the back door and walked directly over to Amelia. Zelgadiss was about to flee back to the resort when Shura prevented it by acting as if he was a new face to her.

"Hi!" she said, beaming and holding out her hand. "You're new. I'm Shura."

"Zelgadiss," he grumbled, taking her hand and gripping it tightly as he shook it.

Shura grinned and squeezed back. "Good to see you. Come on, everyone. Did you all have any gear to bring with? What about you, hotshot?" she asked Val.

"I rented yesterday," he muttered as he followed Lina into the limo.

"Geez. I would've thought that you'd have your own board, seeing how good you are," she said with a smirk.

Surprisingly, it was Xelloss who grabbed Val's arm as he tried to push his way back out of the limo to give her a piece of his mind.

"For someone as non-confrontational as you claim to be, you're awfully quick to jump at her bait," Xelloss said, releasing his arm.

Val glared at him and then slunk into a corner to brood. Naga stepped in and Lina pointed at the corner where Val was sitting. Shaking her head, the woman sat down beside him to keep him under control. Amelia sat beside her sister before being followed in by Zelgadiss and Shura.

The drive was short, and when the driver pulled up to the lodge, everyone filed out and went up to rent their skis or snowboards. Zelgadiss hung back, unsure of what he was going to be doing while he was there. Shura saw him as she was retrieving her own snowboard from the limo and went over to talk to him.

"What's wrong, hon?" she asked, standing beside him as he watched the others. "Aren't you going to ski?"

"Can't. Doctor's orders."

"Oh, what's a few bullets in you?" she joked, then seriously added, "Hey, I'm just glad you're here talking to me. I found out that you were touch-and-go for a while there."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't be here at all if not for her," he said, his gaze resting on Amelia. Almost as if she sensed it, she turned back to regard them before returning to her own conversation. "I appreciate you keeping an eye on her for me."

"She's a good person, Zelgadiss. I spent some time with her yesterday, and it seemed to me that she's got a big heart. She ate it down the slopes yesterday, and she ended up spending her time at the lodge watching everyone else have fun. She's got guts to try skiing again after that fiasco yesterday."

"Was she really that bad?" he asked, cringing at the thought of Amelia tumbling down the mountain.

"Yeah. But maybe on these gentler slopes she'll have more luck."

"I hope so."

By the time the group set off to hit the slopes, Amelia had half a dozen guys offering to help her learn how to ski. Zelgadiss had to bite his lip when he sat down outside with a cup of coffee and watched as several good-looking young men were almost crawling over each other to give her advice. She smiled and laughed, but she was very good at avoiding their wandering hands. Before long, Shura appeared and shooed them all away. She had traded her snowboard for skis, and was showing Amelia what to do.

Zelgadiss could have hugged her.

They joined the others in line for the lift, and Zelgadiss noticed that Val was talking more with Lina, presumably about snowboarding, and leaving Amelia to Shura's care. Frowning, Zelgadiss decided that his view of Val was growing dimmer; the way he was treating Amelia was not the way a guy should treat his girlfriend.

The day turned out to be either boring or relaxing, depending on how he wanted to look at it. Amelia seemed to be doing better under Shura's tutelage, so when Shura decided to go back to her snowboard, Amelia found Naga, and the sisters spent the rest of the day skiing. They attracted much attention from the male population, and Naga, it seemed, was heartily enjoying the attention while Amelia merely smiled and tried to keep her sister moving. Zelgadiss was left to watch from afar, but though his thoughts were primarily on Amelia, he was also fascinated with Shura's antics with Val.

Of course, the way they were acting, everyone seemed to be fascinated with them as well. Val was snowboarding down the terrain park when Shura flew over his head, spun in mid-air, and landed ahead of him. The challenge was laid down. Then he took of after her, trying to outdo her jump. The challenge was accepted. The rest of the afternoon was an exhibition as each one sought to out-trick the other, and the crowd ooh-ing and ah-ing didn't seem to help matters.

They broke for a late lunch, and surprisingly, Amelia was done with skiing for the day. She had progressively gotten better as the morning wore on, and Zelgadiss thought that she would want to continue after lunch, but she returned her skis and found a seat to watch Val and Shura. They were the only two who ate as much as they could and dashed back out to the park. Even Lina had taken it easy and rested before she went back out to ski. Zelgadiss watched Amelia watching Val, and he couldn't help but wish he could have gone snowboarding, too. He wasn't anywhere nearly as good as Val, but he could take the jumps pretty well. Not that he wanted to show off for Amelia or anything…

He was glad when everyone decided to head back. Lina wanted to eat dinner and get to the bar in the resort for some strange reason. Having known Lina for years, he decided that it would be better for him not to ask. He soon discovered that she had a horrible fate planned for the group. Shura was invited, and though she declined at first, she soon gave in. When Lina unveiled her surprise, however, Shura, as well as Zelgadiss, Gourry and Filia tried, and failed, to escape.

"Karaoke!" Lina announced, drawing the attention of everyone in the bar. It was crowded, and everyone began clapping. "Now, let's not all volunteer at once."

"Why don't you go first," Val jeered. "You're already up there."

Her eye twitched, but she accepted gracefully. Before she could decide on a song, though, Xelloss had somehow magically appeared at the machine and had already dialed in a number.

"It's more fun this way, don't you agree?" he asked, winking at her.

Lina didn't have the chance to throttle him since the words popped up on the screen and the music began: _Lady Marmalade_. She could have strangled him. Instead, she sang her heart out with a lusty growl, earning riotous applause from the crowd, as well as a few wolf whistles. Deciding to get back at him, she pulled Xelloss up to the stage, and Filia did the honors of choosing the song. He glared at her when _Unchained Melody_ began to play. Deciding to play it up, he got on his knees before her and sang the whole song from his lowly perch. By the end of the song, Filia appeared ready to swoon.

A few other patrons took their turn before Lina reclaimed the mike for her group. Shura was forced to sing _Dancing Queen_ when Val chose the song, but she evened the score when they made him sing _Bye, Bye, Bye_. Xelloss howled with laughter, but some of the young women in the bar threw wadded up napkins at him. When he returned to his table, he opened them and found three different phone numbers. When he glanced back, they blew kisses at him and he grinned. Right in front of Amelia! Zelgadiss almost jumped across the table to knock him out, but his attention was suddenly diverted when Amelia was called up to the stage.

She was always humming, or singing under her breath, but he had never actually heard her sing out loud. He knew that Lina had a great voice, which was proven earlier, but could Amelia even sing?

_White Flag_ began to play, and when Amelia opened her mouth, her voice was steady and clear; not rich and full like Lina's, but pleasing to listen to all the same. Zelgadiss found himself relaxing, and he hadn't even noticed that he had been tense. The song ended, and Amelia was assaulted by loud applause and whistles as well. Zelgadiss unknowingly looked back and glared at the guys who seemed to be on the verge of going up to her. No one ended up approaching her after that.

Through the night, people went up to sing, well or badly, but everyone seemed to be having fun. Naga earned much attention simply by walking on stage, and her rendition of _My Immortal_ earned her even more. Gourry sang a very good interpretation of _It's Not Unusual_ while Filia's _Hopelessly Devoted to You _was as soft and gentle as the original.

Amelia and Lina went back up to sing a cute duet about a _Maiden's Prayer_, whatever that was, and Zelgadiss began to feel relieved that he hadn't yet been called. Maybe Lina actually forgot he was there. Maybe if he snuck out now, no one would notice.

"Zelgadiss!"

_Of course…_

Lina dragged him up on stage, and he couldn't ignore all the gasps he heard around the room. She patted him on the back, and with a wink, she whispered, "Give 'em hell, Zel."

The music began playing, and he frowned at Lina. Leave it to her to make fun of him and give him an advantage as well. _Mandy_ was one of his favorite songs, and Lina used to tease him about the fact that he actually owned a Barry Manilow CD. Deciding to give it all he had (what the hell did have to lose?) he began slowly and let the emotion build as the song progressed. By the end, he was belting it out, and the applause that met him was almost as loud as it was when Lina sang.

Returning to his seat amidst pats on the back, Zelgadiss tried his best not to look where Amelia was sitting. He wondered if she was one of the ones who were cheering him on loudly, but when he finally allowed his gaze to travel to her seat, she was gone.

* * *

Amelia walked slowly down the hallway, trying her best not to break down. Had that song been meant for her? She couldn't tell. But it was _Lina_ who chose the song, she tried to remind herself. And besides, he hadn't looked at her at all while he was singing. In fact, he hadn't looked anywhere else except at the monitor that showed the lyrics. But he sang it with such emotion that she couldn't help but feel that he was singing from his heart. 

Would she ever get a chance to be the one who held his heart?

She finally arrived at the suite, and she wearily opened the door, hoping that no one would notice that she had left. The bar was crowded and stifling, and though she had enjoyed herself tremendously, she had had enough. The living room was very inviting and cozy, but she didn't feel like sitting and twiddling her thumbs for the rest of the evening. Opening the door out to the balcony, Amelia stepped out into the brisk night air. She walked over to the railing and stepped up on the bottom rail, breathing in deeply. Closing her eyes, she leaned back, feeling the exhilarating rush of freedom.

Maybe things would clear up for her in the New Year.

She stepped off the rail and turned back to the door, intending to rejoin her friends downstairs, but when she grasped the handle, it spun uselessly. Trying the other door, she discovered that it was bolted in. She knew that the doors to the master bedroom were bolted shut, but Amelia still tried to open them. No luck, of course.

She was locked outside and no one knew where she was.

"Dammit!" she yelled, cursing at the door as she shook it. After a few minutes, she gave up, deciding to save her energy.

Her sweater gave her some warmth, but soon, she began to feel the cold air seeping in, and she wished she hadn't been dumb enough to rush off and leave her jacket downstairs. She leaned up against the wall and hugged her arms to her chest. After fifteen minutes, she went to the balcony rail and looked down into the courtyard below. It was completely deserted.

"Hello!" she yelled out to the night air. "Can anyone hear me? I'm stuck out here!"

Silence met her, and she hunkered down next to the door, blowing on her numbing fingers. After a few more minutes, she looked at her watch: five minutes to eleven. She had been out here for thirty minutes already. Deciding that she wouldn't sit still to become an icicle, she stood and walked over to the edge of the balcony. The gap between this one and the next was about five feet. Looking down, she saw that the balcony below was about ten feet below her.

Across or down?

Five feet looked better than a drop of ten, so she decided to risk the jump. Maybe there was someone next door who could help…

Used to scrambling up and down the trellis and pergola at home, getting up on top of the rail was easy. Placing a hand on the wall to steady herself, she balanced on the metal railing, trying not to rock back and forth too much. But, from on top of the rail, the five foot gap seemed much wider than it did on the balcony floor.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," she told herself aloud.

The door to the suite opened behind her, and it didn't immediately occur to her that this was her chance to be rescued. Because when she turned her head to see who it was, her eyes rested on Zelgadiss. Then something clicked in her brain, and she realized with horror that he had stepped out towards her.

"No, Mister Zelgadiss!" she yelled as she turned to jump down and stop him.

"No, Amelia!" he yelled at the same time, but he was so fast that he had grabbed her wrist and was pulling her back. Her momentum was more than he expected, and it was all he could do to break her fall.

The door shut with a click.

"Oww…" Amelia moaned, and she tried to push herself off of Zelgadiss. It was lucky for her that he had on a big thick jacket to cushion her fall.

He was still for a moment before he pushed her upright. She slid off of him and sat down on the cold balcony floor, rubbing her arm.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" He rounded on her as he sat up, holding his arm to his stomach.

Completely forgetting that she had been quiet and nervous around him lately, she argued back. "I was trying to get off of this stupid balcony! Why did you let the door close?"

"What? I was trying to save you!"

"Save me? You thought that I was trying to kill myself?"

"What the hell am I supposed to think when I find you out here teetering on the handrail?"

"Well, before you go yanking people down, why don't you ask them why they were up there in the first place?"

"Fine. So why were you up there?"

"Like I said before, I was trying to get off of this balcony. The door's busted, and the other doors are bolted shut. We're _both _locked out here now!"

As if he didn't believe what she had said, Zelgadiss got up and checked the door, and sure enough, the doorknob just spun around. He shook it, with the obvious results.

"You're right," he said dumbly.

"What do you think I've been doing for the last half hour?" she muttered, hugging her arms to her chest. "I've tried yelling for help, but either no one can hear anything or they aren't answering."

She shivered, and hugged her arms closer to her body, hoping that he wouldn't notice how cold she really was. For some reason, Amelia didn't want him to know how vulnerable she was at that moment. She had already decided to forgive him, and in her heart, she already had, but it was important to her that he apologize, or at the very least explain why he pushed her away like that. Then, she would know that her feelings were important to him.

Zelgadiss was still looking for a way out of the situation, leaning out over the railing, sizing up how far it would be to jump across or down. Then he was back at the door, inspecting it and the lock. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small leather case. Opening it, he pulled out a lock pick set and began trying to unlock the bolted door. Amelia knew it was useless, since she had seen that it was a manual bolt into the floor, but she kept her mouth shut and focused her attention on the lights that were decorating the courtyard.

_**Bam! Bam! Bam!**_

Amelia jumped at the sound, and looked over at Zelgadiss. He was rubbing his elbow and glaring at the widow pane that he had tried to hammer his way through. He glanced up at her and turned quickly away, and Amelia couldn't help but smirk. Her teeth chattered as she giggled quietly, and she looked away so he wouldn't see her amusement.

Something warm and heavy dropped into her lap, and with a start, she realized that it was Zelgadiss' jacket. She began to refuse it when he shook his head.

"You've been out here longer than I have. Take it."

She couldn't argue with that, so she wrapped it around her shaking frame. "So now, what do we do?"

Zelgadiss began to pace back and forth across the balcony, rubbing his arms. "We wait. It's late enough that the others should be back soon. When someone comes in, they'll be able to let us back inside."

"Okay."

Amelia sat quietly, watching the night sky through the gaps between the clouds. Every now and again, she could catch the faintest glimmer of a star before the mist obscured it. So brief, yet so beautiful; a star was a curious thing, burning so brightly, so hot, millions and millions of years ago, yet its light, faint and wavering, continued to struggle its way across the galaxy and through the thick cloud cover to eventually find its way to her eyes. Its journey alone made Amelia want to search it out once again, just to appreciate its lonely effort.

Subconsciously, she breathed in deeply and snuggled into the thick jacket. It was comforting in a way that she remembered, and her heart began to ache, despite the cold wall that she had attempted to erect to protect it. It was foolish, she knew, to love someone so much after spending so little time together. Six months… no, not even that much. Five months of interaction was not enough to form a relationship, a solid one based on mutual friendship and love, was it? Or could it be that this was the one person with whom she felt at ease, with whom she felt she could safely fall in love?

And here they were, not more than five feet apart, alone, without a word to say to each other.

Zelgadiss punched the door, and Amelia jumped again.

"Amelia, I'm… I'm sorry," he sighed.

"It's okay, Mister Zelgadiss," she found herself saying with a small smile. "I didn't know the door was broken either. Someone was bound to get stuck out here sooner or later."

Zelgadiss looked away. There it was again, that false smile of hers. It hurt him to see that she kept her guard up, that she didn't want him to see that she wasn't impervious to the hurt that he brought with his presence. He wanted to see her the way she was before. Before he had hurt her with his lies.

"I meant that I'm sorry about before," he said, looking back at her. Her mouth had frozen in place, just as she was about to say something else. Deciding that he had better continue before his courage failed him, he went on. "I… I was an idiot for lying to you like that. I should have told you the truth. I should have… I don't know. I guess I should have done a lot of things differently. I…"

His gaze met hers, and at some imperceptible signal, he felt as though she was letting him know that it was okay to tell her everything. He walked over to the wall next to her and leaned against it. Slowly, he lowered himself to sit beside her.

"I lied to you about my reasons for getting to know you, yes, but that was done at the request of your father. Now, I'm not trying to blame him for it, but it wasn't my idea initially. I did things to continue to try to keep you safe, but I hope you'll believe me when I say that our friendship wasn't a lie. I really enjoyed spending time with you. And… about that stuff I said in the hospital that last time…"

He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes closed.

"I wasn't trying to work out a profile; I was only assigned to watch over you. I wasn't trying to learn more about the people you come in contact with; I actually wanted to get to know you better. And as for Atlas City…" He opened his eyes and saw that Amelia was regarding him with a closed expression. Strangely, he couldn't read her at all. "I'm so sorry for lying to you. I thought I was doing it to protect you."

"How is that protecting me?" she finally asked him, her voice thick with emotion. "How is saying all that back then making my life easier?"

"Because I didn't want to… I didn't…" He slammed his fist against the balcony floor. "Dammit! I didn't want you to get close to me. I didn't want to end up pointing a gun at you, too."

Amelia was silent for a moment before she found her voice. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Eris. I'm talking about my ex-girlfriend…"

Haltingly, he told her the story the way he remembered it, and then added what Gourry had supplied afterward. She listened silently, allowing him time to say what he wanted to say, but her expression never wavered. She remained interested and compassionate. For the first time, he recalled the events freely, explained how he was feeling at the time, what he had thought, why he never wanted it to happen again. For the first time, Zelgadiss felt that he could share this burden with someone completely disconnected from those painful events.

"The thing is," he said after telling his story, "Gourry could be right, that I didn't _really _want to hurt them, but he could also be _very_ wrong. What if I simply forgot to check the clip, and I really went there that night to kill them? I like his explanation better, but that nagging doubt is there. What if… what if I end up pointing a gun at someone I really care about?"

His body shivered involuntarily, and though he had been glad for the cold air, it was now becoming too much for him to handle. Amelia immediately insisted that he take his jacket back, but he refused. Then she did something that he will forever be grateful for.

"This is stupid," she said, standing up. "This jacket is big enough to cover us both."

He looked confused, wondering what she had in mind, but she cleared things up rather quickly. She moved between his legs, and sat down on the floor in front of him. Surprised, Zelgadiss didn't know what to do with his hands, wondering if it would be okay to wrap them around her. Instead, he did what Amelia told him to do.

"Here. We'll wrap the jacket around me and your knees. Put your arms through the holes. There." He complied, deciding to rest his arms on his knees. Then she leaned back against his chest, and he could feel the heat immediately rising to his face. He didn't think he needed a jacket to be warm.

"If we're going to be stuck out here, it's silly not to do what we can to stay warm," she stated, sounding as if she was justifying it more to herself than to him. "Now, back to what you were saying. Regardless of your motives or true intentions back then, do you think you'd ever do the same today?"

"No." His answer was immediate.

She shrugged her shoulders, and a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold went up his spine.

"Then you've learned from your mistakes. You've taken the things that have happened to you and let them help you grow instead of holding you back. People are dynamic. They are constantly moving, changing, growing, and hopefully becoming better people. At least, that's what I'd like to think of things. I don't like living my life in the 'what ifs' anymore. It's too draining to keep wondering what your life would have been like if this thing or that thing had never happened."

She took a deep breath and sighed, and when she continued, she sounded almost wistful. "I'm pretty happy with my life right now, and I can't help but think that I wouldn't be the person I am today if everything hadn't happened the way that it did, regardless of how much it hurts."

Her voice lost its momentum as she spoke, and he had a feeling that she was becoming engrossed in her own thoughts. She was silent for a couple of moments as she stared up into the sky. He leaned forward and dared to move his arms around her.

He whispered in her ear, "I never told you how sorry I am that you had to go through all that you did. I'm sorry that you lost your mother when you were so young."

She tried to stop her lip from quivering as she leaned into his embrace. "And I'm sorry that you lost your parents, too."

They remained still for several moments before Zelgadiss decided to tell her. It had been eating away at him, and since it seemed a night of confessions, he had might as well get this one out of the way, too.

"Amelia, there's something else I never told you."

Her breathing seemed to stop for a moment, but she cocked her head so that he knew that she was listening.

"I was asked to look into your mother's death."

She chuckled, despite the gravity of the conversation. "It's okay. My sister told me a few days ago."

"I wasn't supposed to say anything."

"I know. You were right in not telling me until now. My sister would have taken you to court." She closed her eyes and sighed. "That is a difficult story for another time. I promise I'll tell you about it later."

Zelgadiss smiled. "I'm just glad that you want to tell me anything. I'm just glad that you've forgiven me… Well, you _have_ forgiven me, right?" Despite his gut feeling that she had, he still wanted to know.

Her eyes opened. "Oh."

"What?"

Amelia bit her lip. "Oh… Well, I… I already forgave you a long time ago."

He pulled his head away and looked down at her. She reluctantly looked up at him.

"You wanted me to come groveling back to you?" he growled, but he was smiling that smile that she liked to think was hers alone.

"No. I just wanted you to apologize. I figured you had your reasons, and if you still wanted to be my friend, then you'd find the time to say you're sorry."

"Well, you didn't make it easy. Like the other day at the police station."

"I was surprised!" she protested.

"So was I. But I tried to talk to you then. Why'd you drive off? I know you saw me."

Amelia saw her chance to divert the conversation. "Speaking of which, why did you buy me that riding suit?"

Sure enough, he sputtered. "Well… I… I knew you wanted one and couldn't afford it, so I got it for you."

"Without signing your name or giving me a card that said 'I'm sorry'?"

"Well, I wasn't sure if you'd forgive me." He sniffed and looked away.

"Well, then, I was afraid that you were going to tell me that you really didn't want to have anything to do with me."

Amelia sniffed, too, but she tried to hide the tear that went along with it. Zelgadiss glimpsed it, though, and he turned her face towards him.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Again. And I _do_ want to have something to do with you." He blinked when he realized how that sounded. "I mean… um…"

Amelia laughed. "So that means that you _do_ want my friendship then?"

_More than just friendship…_

"I'd be lost without it," he said seriously. His eyes searched hers, and Amelia couldn't help but melt in his gaze. She was falling, all over again, but this time, she wouldn't let herself fall so quickly.

"Wait a minute," she said suddenly, breaking the mood. "How did you find me out here anyway? I didn't tell anyone where I was going."

Zelgadiss appeared as if he felt let down, but the next second, he was smiling. Amelia wondered if she had imagined that disappointed look.

"That's a secret," he said with a wink.

"Shut up!" she yelled, slapping his leg beneath the jacket. He laughed with her. "Come on. Tell me!" she insisted.

"Okay, but you have to keep it a secret. Promise?"

She bit her lip again as she considered it. "Okay, fine. I promise."

With a smirk, Zelgadiss withdrew his left arm from the jacket and found Amelia's hand, pulling it out from under the warmth of their makeshift blanket. He pulled her sweater sleeve back to reveal the watch that he had given to her on her birthday.

"This?" she asked.

"This," he confirmed. He pulled the sleeve of his shirt back to reveal his own watch. "My watch had a built-in GPS locator. I put the GPS transmitter from this watch into the back of yours before I gave it to you. It was a pretty tricky bit of work, but I was able to get it working properly. My watch gives me the readout of the location of the source," he pointed to her watch, "…but I need this," he released her hand and dug into one of his jacket pockets for a thin palm-sized GPS tracker, "…to check my bearings versus yours."

"How did… Why?" Amelia turned to look him in the eye.

"I'd be sorry about that, too, but it helped me find you tonight and apologize," he said when he saw her getting upset. "I was hired to protect you, Amelia. That's not the case anymore, but I did what I could to make sure I knew where you were since I couldn't be with you at all hours of the day." A dark look crossed his features when he said, "Unfortunately, sometimes it just told me where your _watch_ was, and not where _you_ were."

She was silent as she stewed over it for a while, but then she realized what he was talking about. "Is _that_ why you thought I was home sick during finals week?"

He nodded.

"I was so stressed out that week that I left my watch at home for almost all my tests. So that's why you went to my house that day? Because you thought that I was there? You got shot because of that!" She sounded alarmed.

"It's not your fault, Amelia." He tried to ease her mind. Pulling her sweater back over the watch and tucking her arm back under the jacket, he tightened his embrace. "See? I'm alright. Everything is back to normal."

"But you're still recovering, aren't you?"

"Yes. But the point is that I'm _recovering_, not dead. I wouldn't take it back. I did what I could to protect you."

"And you still are now?" she asked. She had a suspicion that he had never stopped trying to protect her. "Miss Shura?"

He smirked. "You're too smart for your own good, Miss Seyruun. She's an old friend I worked with a couple of years ago. I thought that I wasn't going to be here, so I asked her to help me out by watching over you."

She appeared as if she was about to get upset, but as his words sunk in, she realized something important. "Does this mean that you think there's still a threat?"

"I think a lot of things, but yeah, I don't think it's over. It can't be as simple as that. I think there's more to it than what we initially thought."

"What do you think it's all about?"

"I don't exactly know, but I think it has to do with your mother's death."

"What? How?"

"Well, that's what I've got to figure out. Now that I'm a detective, I've requested your case…"

"You made detective?" She blurted out suddenly as she turned sideways, and her face lit up with the same excitement he had felt when his captain told him.

"Yeah. The day I saw you at the station."

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss! Congratulations! I know how much this means to you!" Amelia threw her arms around his middle and hugged him tightly. He gladly returned the embrace, relishing in the feel of her in his arms. When she released him, her cheeks were pink, but her smile was still bright.

He glanced at her. "So, do you think you might be able to help me?"

"Of course," she declared emphatically. "I need to know the truth."

Zelgadiss smiled. "Then you won't mind spending more time with me?"

"Of course not," she laughed and leaned back, snuggling into his chest.

Despite the fact that he had spent the better part of the last hour with his arms around her, Zelgadiss knew his face went scarlet as she nestled closer to him. Part of his mind told him to keep it platonic, and not to hold her the way he wanted to. She wasn't his to hold. She belonged to someone else. But a bigger part of his mind yelled at him to hold onto her and never let go.

"Amelia," he said, trying to gently move her away. "We shouldn't really be like this. If Val finds us…"

She snorted as she sat up reluctantly. "You don't think that I'm… that Val and I are… You _do_? Why in the world do people keep thinking that I'm seeing people that I'm not? Can't I be friends with a guy without having to be his girlfriend?"

_What? That didn't make any sense._

"But… but Xelloss said…" he sputtered.

"_Xelloss_? Xelloss hates Val. Of course he would tell you that we're together."

Zelgadiss' brows knit together. He knew he was treading on very sensitive ground. "He said that Filia saw you and Val in a… a compromising situation."

Her face went white, and Zel's stomach dropped. _So it was true then…_

"Mister Zelgadiss," she said suddenly. "Nothing happened. I was angry and confused that night. I was… I was stupid. I tried to use him to forget about…" Her cheeks flushed and she looked away. "But nothing happened. We talked things out. Miss Filia must have seen me in his bed before…"

Zelgadiss felt sick. She had been in his bed. She had tried to use Val to forget about him. His anger must have shown on his face because Amelia pulled away from him.

"I'm not trying to defend what I did. I know it was stupid, and I know that it hurt Val and now you, too. But what did you expect me to do? You told me that night that nothing that happened between us meant anything to you. I just wanted… I just wanted to feel needed… loved… because I didn't think that you… cared at all about me."

She tried to keep her tears from falling, to show him that she was justified in her actions, but the irate look on his face shook all the courage she had. They slipped down her cheeks, and she turned away miserably.

"Amelia," he relented, pulling her back to his chest. She weakly fought against him, but he insisted. Finally, she allowed herself to relax into his warm arms. "I can't help but be jealous. I… I don't want you to be so close with other guys. I don't have a right, I know. I never made you any promises."

He nuzzled her hair, breathing in the enticing scent of her shampoo and what he could only describe as Amelia's unique smell. He didn't have a right to do this either, but he found that it was becoming more and more difficult to talk himself out of demonstrating his feelings for her. He wanted to show her, as well as tell her, how he felt about her.

"I still want to get to know you better," he whispered into her ear. "I want you to get to know me. I want to be able to tell you how I'm feeling, because I don't tell just _anyone._ I've spent so much of my life ignoring my own emotions, suppressing them because they don't fit in to this ideal I have in my head of what my life should be like. I never wanted to rely on anyone. I wanted to be stronger and smarter, but to what end? Just to prove it to myself that I'm more than what I was? Now I know. I want to be stronger to protect the people I care about. I want to be smarter so I can understand what I need to do to make my life better. I _need_ you, and I would be stupid to let you go now."

Amelia gasped, and Zelgadiss wondered if he had said something wrong, or if he shouldn't have breached that delicate barrier that existed between them. She had been talking about their lack of relationship, right? She had run to Val because she wanted to feel loved because she thought that he didn't care about her, right? Doubt suddenly assaulted him, and he pulled his face away from her.

"Amelia," he began, but what he wanted to say, he had no idea.

She sat up again, and her heart was hammering wildly in her chest. He hadn't said it, she tried to remind herself. He hadn't actually said that he loved her, or even _liked_ her. He just said that he wanted to tell her about how he was feeling, that's all. That he _needed_ her. That's what good friends do, that's all. He just didn't want to lose her friendship, and that was why he said that he didn't want to let her go. Yeah. That was it…

But when she turned to look at him, his face was open and unguarded, unlike his usual stoic and unfeeling expression. She could see the uncertainty and the conflict, yet she could also see something else, something she had hoped for, but was unsure she would ever see reflected in his eyes. Spurred on by the possibilities, she lifted her hand to his face, something she had never done before, and lightly touched his scarred cheek, tracing a line down his jaw.

He didn't flinch or become angry, but allowed her to touch him. Gently, she moved aside his long bangs and caressed his face, allowing her fingers to trail down to his neck. Her eyes sought out his, and when they met, the world seemed to fade away around them. It wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't even uncomfortable out here on the balcony. She didn't even realize that they were moving towards each other until she could feel his breath on her lips.

_Six!_

Her eyes slowly began to close.

_Five!_

And then they opened as she realized what was going on.

_Four!_

Zelgadiss pulled back as well, and they turned their gaze to the courtyard where dozens of people began spilling out into the cold night air.

_Three!_

They looked at each other, and with some unspoken understanding, they smirked and scrambled to their feet, untangling themselves from Zelgadiss' jacket.

_Two!_

Moving over to the railing, they looked down at the partygoers in the courtyard, wearing party hats and twirling noisemakers.

"One!" Zelgadiss and Amelia yelled out into the night as their voices were joined by dozens of others. "Happy New Year!"

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne!_

The crowd below began singing, and Zelgadiss turned to Amelia with a smile, glad that he was ringing in the New Year with a loved one. It was a beautiful night, he had made up with Amelia, and his life wasn't standing still or going backwards for a change. As she watched the impromptu party downstairs, the young woman beside him lightly held onto his arm that he had kept around her, and he could openly admire her without fear of rejection or ridicule. He couldn't think of a better way to start the year.

Well, there was one way…

Amelia turned and beamed up at him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright with the same excitement that he, too, felt. Zelgadiss found that it felt only too natural when he lowered his head to hers. There were no fountains, no countdowns to interrupt them this time.

_For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, _

_We'll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne!_

It was like something out of a dream, Amelia thought. It was magical, made even moreso by the fact that her prince was beside her, with his arm resting comfortably around her waist. When she turned to him, she was surprised to see him watching her with such an open and honest expression, and she couldn't help but blush under such unabashed admiration. She didn't look away or play coy, however. If he was being sincere with his feelings for her, then she could as well.

Without hesitation, Amelia lifted her lips to meet his.

His kiss was timid at first, but when she parted her lips, he met her silent invitation with a more assertive, yet gentle, pressure. She turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around him, trailing her hands slowly down his back. Alone in their own world, they allowed themselves the chance to finally express how they felt about each other. At that moment, they didn't need awkward words or clumsy gestures. A simple kiss, shared between two people who were just discovering the love between them.

Zelgadiss could feel the desire welling up within him, aching to be released. _It had been so long…_ But he reined himself in, not wanting to screw it up by pushing her too fast. He gently pulled away, giving her one last kiss before embracing her, breathing in her intoxicating scent.

Amelia wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. He smelled earthy and cool, his cologne filling her nostrils, dizzying her. It was enticing, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his body against hers.

"Happy New Year, Amelia," he said, kissing the top of her head. He would have to let go of her eventually, but as long as she clung to him, he would make sure she was safe and warm.

"Happy New Year, Zelgadiss," she whispered, and she decided that this year would be one she would remember forever.

* * *

A/N: Yay! I had been waiting soooooo long to write this chapter. I hope you all liked it! And this time, they _really_ made up! _Winks_. Okay, I have to say that I've unfortunately never been to Aspen, so I apologize to anyone who knows the area and think I'm completely nuts - consider this my AU version of it. Aspen, Buttermilk, and Snowmass information was obtained from the websites on the areas. The Celestial was modeled off of the website for St. Regis as well as my memory of Bear Mountain at Big Bear, Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood and Heavenly at Lake Tahoe. I mixed and matched... 

The songs 'used' in the karaoke segment were:_ Lady Marmalade _by Labelle_, Unchained Melody_ by the Righteous Brothers_, Dancing Queen_ by ABBA_, Bye, Bye, Bye_ by N'Sync_, White Flag_ by Dido_, My Immortal_ by Evanescence_, It's Not Unusual _by Tom Jones_, Hopelessly Devoted to You_ by Olivia Newton John_, Mandy_ by Barry Manilow, and _Maiden's Prayer_ is the song that Lina and Amelia sing in NEXT. _Another Old Lang Syne_ is by Dan Fogelberg, but really has nothing to do with this fic. I just cry every time I hear that song, and I figured it would make a great title to this story. _Old Lang Syne_ is a traditional song, so I went ahead and used the lyrics here. I don't think I'm infringing on anyone's copyright, but if I am, they were used without permission and no harm is intended. :-P

Thank you to everyone who's read and _hugs_ to everyone who's reviewed! Special thanks to **jesphoenix05** for letting me use Shura (and it's Shura, not Sherra, by the way…). Happy holidays, everyone, and Happy New Year! _Hugs!_

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	33. Illusions of Sunlit Days

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 33**

_**Illusions of Sunlit Days**_

"Hey! Hey! We're stuck out here!" Zelgadiss yelled as Amelia waved both her arms frantically in a vain attempt to catch someone's attention. They were still stuck out on the fourth floor balcony, and no one had yet returned to the suite.

"Help! No! No, we need _help_! H-E-L-P!" Amelia cried. A few of the partygoers had spotted them and, instead of running inside or calling for help, began cheering them on. "Oh, I don't think they quite understand," she said as she lowered her arms.

Zelgadiss cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled again, "We need help! Hey! Suite 410! Send help!" After a few minutes, he sighed, watching everyone slowly trickle back inside the building.

Amelia shook her head. "Well, that didn't work."

"They probably figured we were just egging them on."

"Maybe one of them actually heard us and are on their way to get help," she suggested with a smile.

"Maybe…" he smirked.

She sighed. "Yeah. You're probably right."

By a quarter past midnight, the courtyard was silent and deserted again, except for the two who were trapped outside.

"So," Amelia began awkwardly as she sank to the cold floor, resting her back against the wall. "I thought you sang that song very well. You have a very nice voice, Mister Zelgadiss."

Zelgadiss sat down beside her, and placed his jacket around her shoulders. She was beginning to shiver, so he shook his head when she tried to make him share it. Instead, he put his left arm around her shoulders.

"It was Lina's way of sticking it to me," he explained as she leaned her head against his chest. "She used to tease me about my CD collection."

"You like Barry Manilow?"

"I grew up listening to him, believe it or not. My parents used to have a couple of his records."

Amelia smiled. "Mommy did, too. She also liked ABBA and Neil Diamond. I guess it rubbed off on us, huh?"

"I suppose so."

Amelia stifled a yawn, but Zelgadiss noticed it.

"Hey, are you tired?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm not used to staying up late at all. I've been sleeping at least an hour past my bedtime every night and waking up early every morning for the past week. I usually force myself to stay up for the New Year, but I go to bed right afterwards. I can't conquer the night like some people can."

"Hn… I'm normally a night owl. I've 'conquered the night' several times. It's _one_ of the reasons I have to have my espresso in the afternoons." He glanced down at her, but quickly returned his gaze to the snow-covered mountain top. _She's another one,_ he thought to himself.

He smiled as he remembered the first time he saw Amelia in the bookstore. She was so passionate when she spoke to the manager for her interview, and though he had initially thought of her as the dingy cheerleader type, he admired the fervor with which she approached something as simple as a summer job.

"Though tonight, I think I'll be falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, too," he chuckled. He tried not to think about falling asleep _with_ Amelia, but the temptation was too great. She had been between his legs earlier, leaning back against his chest, and he wasn't _supposed_ to think about her like that? Swallowing hard, he hoped that she wouldn't look up at his face, which was beet red, he was sure.

"I wonder how long it will be before the others come back," he said to divert his thoughts from their wanderings. He expected Amelia to say something, but when she didn't, he craned his neck around to see her face. Her eyes were closed and though she was still shivering, her breathing was steady.

"Amelia! Come on. You can't fall asleep out here!" he yelled, shaking her.

She opened her eyes and gasped.

"I'm sorry," she slurred. "Oh, gosh. I didn't realize I dozed off." She rubbed at her face and glanced at Zelgadiss. He looked awfully worried.

"Okay. I'm getting us out of here," he declared.

Untangling himself from her, he stood and tried the door again, of course with no luck. He looked at the balcony next to them, sizing it up. Amelia must have realized what he was thinking, because she reached out to grab his jeans.

"Don't, please! Just stay here, Mister Zelgadiss. The others will be here soon enough. We can wait for them. Please, don't try it."

Amelia's words were panicked, as if she were terrified at the thought of being left alone. Zelgadiss hated feeling useless. How he wished he had kept his cell phone with him when they left this morning, but he knew that it was still sitting on the dresser in his and Xelloss' room.

He pounded on the door again, yelling through the crack for someone to let them in, but only silence met him. Looking down at Amelia, he decided that he needed to make sure she remained awake and warm.

"Come on, Amelia," he said, returning to his spot. He sat down and wrapped his arms around her, jostling her enough to keep her awake. "You've got to stay awake. Tell me about something."

"Like what?" she asked, sounding annoyed.

"I don't know. How about… how about my gift? Did it fit?"

She perked up a bit. "Oh. Yes, it did. It fit perfectly. I still don't think I should accept it, though. You've spent so much money on that and this watch. I can't ever repay you for it all…"

"Don't worry about it, Amelia. I got them for you because I wanted to, not because I wanted something _from_ you… well, maybe your forgiveness," he admitted.

"Then I need to give you _your_ gift, then."

"My gift?" For a moment, he forgot that he just wanted to keep her talking. He hadn't even thought of the fact that he hadn't gotten a gift from her.

"Yeah. It's back at home, so when we get back, I'll give it to you, okay?"

"Sure. Hey, just keep talking, okay?"

When she nodded and began telling him about her classes, he pounded his fist rhythmically against the door, hoping to continue to make enough noise to catch someone's attention.

It was getting very, very cold.

* * *

Filia wearily opened the door to the suite, followed closely by a hammered Xelloss. She nearly had to pull him away from the bar, and was only able to get him to leave by promising some very alone and very intimate time together very soon. He had announced to the bar that he was going to get lucky that night, and everyone cheered him on!

The nerve of some people!

"Look, Fil," Xelloss slurred, and he grabbed her arm and pulled him to her. "We're all alone here… Time for some _alone_ time…"

She smiled, and pushed him in the direction of his room, but he was too quick for her. He pulled her right up to him, and buried his face in her neck, sucking noisily at her bare skin. Shivers went up her arms, but she pushed him away.

"Soon, honey. I've got to… what's that?" she asked, frowning. Delicately fending off his advances, she moved over to the balcony doors and looked outside.

Zelgadiss was leaning back against the door, holding Amelia in a rather compromising position, but he was weakly knocking on the other door.

Opening it, she glared down at them. "What do you think you're doing?"

They both looked up at her in shock, and yelled quite suddenly, "Keep the door open!"

Startled, Filia almost let the door close, but they both scrambled to their feet and pushed their way inside.

Zelgadiss explained as he stepped past her, "The door is broken and we've been stuck out there for over an hour. Amelia's been out there longer."

The warmth of the room enveloped Amelia, and though it was a balmy seventy degrees, it felt as if it were a hundred. The sudden heat must have gone to her head, because her head was suddenly pounding, and her eyes were having difficulty focusing. The lights were too bright, and when darkness began to creep into her vision, she knew that something was wrong.

She reached out to find something to steady herself, but the chair was too far away. It was like looking into a tunnel, and everything before her kept moving away as the darkness closed in…

"Amelia!"

Zelgadiss had only a moment to react when Amelia stumbled, and caught her just before she hit the ground.

"What's wrong?" Filia asked, alarmed that her friend had collapsed. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Zelgadiss answered. "She was freezing, and she almost fell asleep outside."

While he was explaining, he had gotten to his feet and lifted Amelia easily but gently, laying her down on the couch. He ignored Xelloss' angry questions and Filia's suspicious glances.

"Take off this jacket," Filia ordered. "Take off her shoes and socks. Xelloss, get the small black bag that's on the dresser in my room and then call 911." Zelgadiss did as he was told, but Xelloss was still staring stupidly at her. "Now, Xelloss! Please!"

When he left, she felt Amelia's hands and feet, and her heart dropped when she noticed how cold they were. They weren't exhibiting signs of frostbite, but she was possibly showing signs of hypothermia.

"Amelia. Amelia!" she said loudly. She lightly slapped her friend's face, and she opened her eyes groggily.

"Miss Filia? Where…?"

"Relax. You're inside on the couch. You just collapsed. Try to stay with me, okay?"

"Okay. I'll try," she said, but her eyes closed again.

"You kept her warm?" Filia asked Zelgadiss, who looked extremely anxious. When he nodded, she told him, "Get your blankets and pillows from your bed and bring them here. Prop her feet up, and put the blankets on her. Try to keep her warm, but don't rub her hands. Keep her head covered. Got that?"

He nodded, and ran to his room, passing Xelloss as he went. His friend handed Filia her bag and then picked up the phone. While he was doing so, Filia opened her kit and pulled out her electric thermometer. She was glad that she actually decided to pack her medical kit. Not that she would ever thought that she would need it. She took Amelia's temperature: ninety-six degrees.

"It's not severe hypothermia, but it's still hypothermia," she said anxiously to herself.

Zelgadiss returned and did as he had been instructed, placing the pillows beneath Amelia's legs and then pulling the blankets over her. He covered her body and pulled one edge up, tucking it around her head and leaving only her face exposed. He tried not to show his apprehension. He sank to the floor beside her and hesitantly put his arm around her, on top of all the blankets, trying to keep her warm. Filia rummaged around in the bathroom and found a hot water bottle, something that she was amazed to have found. She asked Xelloss to boil water and fill the bottle.

"So what happened?" Xelloss asked. He seemed more sober as he brought the filled bottle to them. Filia wrapped it in a towel.

"She got stuck outside on the balcony," Zelgadiss answered.

"Didn't she know that the doorknob was broken?" Filia wondered. "We were all here when Mister Gourry got stuck out there… Oh, wait. She was downstairs when that happened. But… Miss Lina told Miss Naga when you both arrived," she told Zelgadiss. She lifted the covers and placed the towel-wrapped bottle between Amelia's legs.

Zelgadiss gently rubbed Amelia's shoulder. "I didn't hear her tell her that."

"Miss Naga said that she was going to tell the front desk to have maintenance fix it."

Xelloss piped in. "She did. I heard her call it in. I'm surprised the hotel hadn't fixed it yet."

He frowned, and then after whispering something to Filia, exited the suite.

Zelgadiss looked down at Amelia, wondering why her face was so pale. He moved a lock of her hair out of her face. "When I found her, I didn't realize that the door was broken either, and we both ended up stuck out there. I'd hate to think what would have happened to her if I hadn't found her when I did…"

Filia looked at him strangely. "Why _were_ you out there, anyway? You guys disappeared early."

"I came up here to find her. I don't know why she was out there in the first place though."

She watched as he held her so closely, and wondered if she was putting the wrong ideas into his mind. Frowning, she spat, "Now, just because I told you to keep her warm, it doesn't mean you can paw at her like that."

He bristled at the suggestion. He retorted quietly, "I'm not 'pawing' at her. What's your problem? Didn't you want me to do this?"

"Yes, but she is going out with my brother, so you'd better keep your hands to yourself."

Zelgadiss could have fallen over if he wasn't already sitting down.

"She's not, Filia. I thought she was, too. She told me so tonight."

"Oh, sure she did. How convenient for you that she's out cold and can't answer for herself."

"You think I planned this?" he almost yelled, appalled at the insinuation that he put Amelia in danger just to take advantage of her.

"I'm just saying that I'll believe it when I hear it from her or Val."

"I can't believe you," he muttered, turning his attention to Amelia.

The object of their discussion opened her eyes and sought out Filia's.

"It's true, Miss Filia," Amelia croaked, pushing herself upright. Zel tried to keep her still, but she insisted on sitting up. He helped her to sit, and then readjusted the blankets around her. He found the hot water bottle and placed it on her lap. While he was busy, Amelia continued, "Val and I were never together. If it's because you saw us together, that turned out to be nothing."

"But… but I thought…" Filia stammered, appearing extremely confused.

"It's okay. Val's okay. Mister Zelgadiss kept me safe tonight," she said with a smile.

Filia nodded, and decided to save herself the embarrassment by escaping to the kitchen. "I'll make something for you to drink, okay?"

"Okay." Amelia closed her eyes. She was so dizzy…

"Amelia. You can't fall asleep…" she heard Zelgadiss say as she drifted off yet again.

* * *

Xelloss knew exactly where to find Naga. She was still down at the bar, drinking like a fish and singing out loud into the karaoke mike. Though she sang well enough earlier that night, when she was drunk, she sounded… drunk. Many of the men were still hanging around, sitting at their tables watching and applauding her, clearly hoping for the chance to hit on the buxom singer.

He spotted Lina cozying up with Gourry in a corner, and since Naga was preoccupied with her singing, Xelloss decided to intrude on Lina's private time.

"Miss Lina, I hate to tear you away from Gourry's excellent company, but I need your help now to get Naga back up to the suite," he tried, very politely and very succinctly.

He should have known that interrupting Lina, either rudely or politely, would yield the same results.

"Back off, Xelloss. I didn't bother you when you went upstairs with Filia to 'get lucky', did I?" she grumbled.

Gourry, though, asked him why he wanted to get Naga up to the suite. "You're not thinking about a threesome, are you?" he asked, frowning.

Despite Xelloss' open mind about sexuality, he just about fell down when Gourry posed that question.

Lina suddenly turned suspicious, and growled at him. "You'd better not be!"

"Geez, a guy can't get a break," he muttered. He ran his hand through his hair. "Look. Amelia's in trouble. Filia said that she's got hypothermia. The paramedics will be here in a minute. We've got to get Naga sobered up and back there as soon as we can…"

Lina crawled over Gourry's lap and out of the booth and didn't even listen to the rest of his explanation. She told her boyfriend to go with Xelloss and that she would get her friend back upstairs. Marching straight up to Naga, still singing off key, Lina butted in and took the mike away from her friend.

"Sorry, boys," she announced, pulling Naga away. "We've got to get going now. Happy New Year everyone!"

"Liiina," Naga slurred as she followed Lina, who was dragging her by her wrist. "I was just about to sing the best song… you could have sung it with me!"

Lina stopped and looked her in the eye. She knew that Naga was buzzed, but far from being completely wasted. Val and Shura popped up out of nowhere.

"Hey, are we going back up now?" Val asked with a yawn. He seemed to have forgotten about the fact that he had been fighting with Shura.

"Yeah. Something happened to Amelia. Come on. We need to get upstairs."

Naga's eyes suddenly became strangely clear, Val's brows dipped down in a frown, and Shura's smile disappeared. Naga demanded, "What happened? Where is she? Is she okay?"

Lina normally would have slapped Naga, because the taller woman had both her hands on Lina's shoulders and was shaking her vigorously. Instead, she gripped Naga's thumbs and bent them back, releasing her grip.

She said calmly, "That's where we're going now. Come on."

Naga nodded wordlessly. They all rushed to the elevators and Naga, only holding on to Lina's arm for balance, spotted Xelloss stepping into one.

"Xelloss!" she yelled. He stepped back out, and they could see him waving on someone inside. Just as they caught up to him, Naga saw the paramedics in the elevator, just before the doors closed.

"What was that? What's going on?" she demanded shrilly.

The manager on duty, having noticed the paramedics passing through their lobby, approached them as well. Xelloss, having seen this, waited for the manager to arrive before telling them all so he wouldn't have to repeat himself.

"Amelia got stuck out on the balcony outside our suite. She was out there for over two hours, without a jacket. Zelgadiss found her, but then they both were trapped outside. She collapsed when they came inside. Apparently, she's hypothermic, and Filia began treating her."

"How could this have happened?" Naga rounded on the manager, and Lina put a hand on her waist to keep her from tipping over. "I called down to you people when I got here and found out that the balcony door was broken! You people assured me that it would be fixed as soon as possible, and now my sister's… my sister's… augh!" She threw her hands up in disgust and pressed the elevator's 'up' button several times.

"Miss Seyruun, I assure you, I'll find out exactly what happened…" the manager began.

"Xelloss!" she said, without even turning around.

He stepped between them, and eyed the manager predatorily. "I should hope you do, my good sir. You'll definitely be hearing from us once my client has decided exactly how much to sue you for. We'll be in touch," he said. The elevator arrived, and the five piled into the car.

* * *

When the door opened and the paramedics arrived with Gourry, Zelgadiss gratefully stepped aside to allow the professionals to work. He took the cup of juice that Amelia was drinking and set it down on the dining room table, and then stood behind the couch, watching while Filia filled in the paramedics about her condition.

"I just took her temperature again," she was saying. "It's back up to ninety eight point one. She drank a cup of chicken broth and was working on some juice when you got here."

The younger paramedic, a light-haired young man with a name-tag that said 'Joshua' was taking her blood pressure while the female paramedic named 'Rosette' checked her eyes, then her hands and feet.

"You don't look like you're really suffering from exposure," she was saying to Amelia. "You said that you kept a thick coat on her while she was outside?" she asked Zelgadiss.

He nodded. "I found her about a half hour after she got stuck out on the balcony. But other than being cold, she was fine, just a little tired. I don't know why she passed out."

The color had slowly returned to her cheeks, but Zelgadiss still thought she looked overtired. He pulled a seat next to the couch and sat beside Amelia, letting his hand rest on her shoulder. She gave him a tired smile.

"I'll be alright. I really am just tired."

Zelgadiss looked at the paramedics.

Joshua answered his questioning stare. "It seems that she's fine. You did a good job, Miss," he told Filia. "Her body temperature is normal, her blood pressure is normal. Her pulse is a little slow, but not below the norm. Have there been any unusual symptoms recently?"

Amelia shook her head, but Zelgadiss frowned.

"You haven't been eating like you normally do."

Before she could reply, the door opened again, but this time, Naga came stumbling in, followed closely by Lina, Xelloss, Val, and Shura. Zelgadiss pulled away from Amelia and moved his hand off of her shoulder. Not seeming to care about the fact that she was intruding on their space, Naga collapsed at Amelia's knees.

"What happened? Are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you? Will she be alright?" Suddenly spotting Zelgadiss, she pushed past Joshua and Rosette and got right into Zelgadiss' face. "_You_ were supposed to take care of her! What the hell were _you_ doing?"

"Gracia, please," Amelia begged, grabbing her sister's hand before she could launch into a tirade against him. Lina, Filia, and Val all wordlessly stepped forward to drag Naga away.

"Sorry about that," Xelloss told the paramedics. "So, is she going to live?"

Rosette answered. "Yes, she will. I think she might just have a case of low blood sugar and simple exhaustion. It would have made her more susceptible to the cold. You said that she hasn't been eating normally, right?"

Zelgadiss nodded. "From what I've seen, she's only eaten about a quarter of what she usually eats."

Val spoke up. "I haven't seen that."

Zelgadiss frowned. "When was the last time you saw her eat only two pancakes, one strip of bacon, and one spoonful of eggs, before this morning? How about how she picked at her lunch when we were at Buttermilk? And she hardly touched her dinner tonight."

Shura stepped between them and put her hand on Zelgadiss' shoulder.

"Why don't we all let these nice folks finish their jobs and let Amelia get some rest then?"

The EMT's began putting away their equipment. Joshua patted Amelia's leg. "Get plenty of rest tonight. Eat a good breakfast, and don't skip meals. I want to warn you against going to the slopes, but if you have to, make sure someone goes with you." He turned to Filia. "Keep an eye on her. Make sure she eats. You did well tonight, Miss," he said again.

As they were leaving, Xelloss followed them out, speaking with them in low tones. Val had slumped down on the other couch, but his eyes seemed to keep straying to Zelgadiss. Everyone around them was chattering on about what had happened. Val half-listened to the questions and answers, but he couldn't help but notice that the tension between Zelgadiss and Amelia had vanished.

Amelia was smiling sheepishly, apologizing for making everyone worry about her. Zelgadiss was hovering attentively around her, refilling the cup of juice she had drained and handing her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that she had requested. His heart ached at the sight, but he was glad. As long as Amelia was happy, he was happy.

"Hello? Did you hear what I said?"

Val blinked and realized that Shura was sitting beside him.

"What was that?"

She rolled her eyes. "I asked you if you were up to going to Snowmass tomorrow… or later today, I guess… with all this," she said, indicating Amelia.

He smirked. "You're not going to get out of it that easily. You're the one who got schooled today. The lesson's going to continue tomorrow," he boasted.

"We'll see, but I've got an appointment around noon, so I won't have time to go easy on you…"

Filia shook her head as she passed her brother's discussion with Shura on her way to the kitchen. Val would always try to find someone to piss off. Xelloss returned from showing the paramedics out and sought out his girlfriend. He wrapped his arms around Filia from behind.

"How are they?" he whispered in her ear. They looked back at the living room where Lina and Naga were sitting with Amelia on the couch. Zelgadiss was sitting in the armchair closest to her while Gourry sat in the other.

"Fine, I think," she whispered back. "She said that she's not with Val, so I guess we were wrong."

Xelloss lifted his head to regard them. Zelgadiss had just poured more juice into Amelia's cup, and she rolled her eyes at him. She drank it anyway.

"They do seem awfully cozy, don't you think?" he asked.

"Yes, but it's their business," she said. "And as much as they need to be together, she needs her rest."

Xelloss released her, and she broke up the 'party' with a stern reminder that Amelia needed to sleep. Lina stretched and declared that she was more than ready to hit the sack, and there were no further arguments. Naga walked Amelia to their room as the group split to their rooms. Zelgadiss took it upon himself to show Shura to the door, and after a brief assurance that everything was going to be okay, he allowed her to give him a quick hug.

"You sure you don't want me to get a room here?" she asked.

He chuckled. "No. But thanks for offering, and thanks for caring. You're more than welcome to hang out with us the rest of the week."

With a smile, she patted him on the arm. "I have something that I've got to do tomorrow, but other than that, I might just take you up on that, Zel. Goodnight."

Once she left, he gathered his pillows and blanket and retreated to his room to change and go to sleep. After just a few minutes of contact with Amelia, his pillows and blanket smelled just like her. Breathing in deeply, he allowed his mind to drift to everything that had occurred, remembering the feel of Amelia in his arms, and the way she tasted when he kissed her.

_So sweet…_

He pretended to be out cold when Xelloss entered, just so he wouldn't have to answer the questions that were already keeping him wide awake.

* * *

Amelia awoke, feeling, if not refreshed, oddly satisfied. It took her several minutes to remember exactly why it was that she felt so happy. When she did, she blushed and pulled the covers up over her head, stifling a giggle.

She kissed him! And he kissed her back!

Glancing at the clock, she decided that six hours of sleep was enough. It was already past six thirty, so she slid out of bed silently so she wouldn't wake her sister. Though, by the snores coming from her side of the bed, she'd be hard pressed to wake her sister anyway.

After using the bathroom, she wrapped her bathrobe about her frame and stepped silently into the suite. To her surprise, Gourry was sitting at the table reading the newspaper, and Val was pulling on his sweatshirt over his t-shirt.

"Good morning," she said quietly. They waved 'hello' as she pulled a bowl down from the cupboard.

"How are you feeling?" Val asked her.

"Well enough. Have you eaten already?"

Gourry nodded, and Val gave her a thumbs up.

"Hey, the guy already came to fix the door," Val mentioned as he hunted around for his beanie. "A little too late, huh?"

Amelia nodded. "Are they sure it works?"

Gourry smiled. "Yeah, I didn't get stuck out there this time."

"Good."

In a way, she was actually glad that the door had been busted last night, because she probably wouldn't have made up with Zelgadiss if it hadn't, but she couldn't tell them that. Instead, she smiled to herself and concentrated on getting something into her stomach. She poured herself a bowl of cereal, adding milk and sliced bananas to it before joining Gourry at the table. She sat cross-legged in her chair at the table as she ate her breakfast, watching Val gathering his things together.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, trying to remember if they were going to go back to the slopes today.

She almost didn't catch the pause before he answered her.

"Uh… Yeah. We're headed over to Snowmass today."

"You'd better wake up Miss Lina. You know how she gets if she doesn't get a chance to eat before she goes anywhere." Amelia picked up the comics section of the newspaper and began to read as she ate.

"Um…" Val began, but Gourry answered instead.

"Lina's going skiing with me today here in Aspen," he told her.

"Oh. Then you're going with Miss Filia and Mister Xelloss?" she asked.

"Well…"

Gourry once again interjected. "They're already gone. I think they wanted a private breakfast before they meet Lina and me."

Amelia frowned. Well, if Val wasn't going with them, then who…?

"So, who's 'we'?" she asked him with a smirk.

She could have sworn he blushed, but he sat down to put on his boots. "Shura's picking me up. She wants a rematch, so we're going to Snowmass. She thinks she'll have an advantage, but I'll show her."

He had the glint of excitement in his eyes. He was grinning at the prospect of putting that woman in her place; the look on her face when he pulled off the 720 was priceless. He'd do the same today.

Instead of poking fun at him and teasing him about this new friend, Amelia merely smiled and said brightly, "Well, good luck."

He shot her a grin and declared, "I'm off!" He tugged on his beanie and left the suite.

Gourry caught her eye and smiled. "So, will you be okay today? You're not going to come skiing with us, are you?"

"No. I think I'd better take it easy. Maybe Gracia will go shopping with me."

He smiled and placed his hand on the top of her head. "Don't go scaring us like that anymore, okay?"

Her eyes crinkled as she smiled widely and nodded. Gourry was like the big brother she never had, and she loved the fact that he always showed his concern but never outright told her what to do. Gracia didn't always show her concern and always liked telling her what to do, but Amelia didn't love her any less for it. In fact, it just made her love her more. After all, that's what big sisters did.

The object of her thoughts stumbled out of the master bedroom, tightly wrapped in her bathrobe and squinting at the morning light streaming into the room.

"What is it with you people and waking up so damned early?" she muttered crankily. Shuffling into the kitchen, she made herself a mug of instant coffee and heated up a Danish, and then sat down beside her sister. "This is the breakfast of champions," she sneered.

"You can always order room service."

"They'd take too long. Besides, you bought all this food. It would be a waste not to eat it. Anyway, I'm not going skiing today, so I don't need all that food. Hey, let's go shopping instead."

Amelia smiled. Okay, maybe her sister showed her concern more often than not.

"Sure. But remind me later that I've got to call Daddy."

Naga looked at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"Why?"

"Well, I didn't want him to hear about me fainting from somebody else. I want to explain everything to him and let him know that I'm alright."

Naga rolled her eyes. "Geez. You should just tell him when we get back home. With us both here, he's likely to hop on a plane himself and fly here, just to make sure we're both okay. You know how he gushed all over you when you left? You should have seen the scene he made when _I_ left. You'd think he was marrying me off of something! For crying out loud, I _live_ in Atlas City!"

"I think he's getting emotional. Remember, it's been almost ten years," Amelia said solemnly.

Naga suddenly lost her steam. "Yeah. I know. Okay. I'll remind you."

"Yeah. I'll call him later," Amelia said absently as her thoughts began to drift to the past.

Lina finally opened the door to her room, glaring at the world in much the same way Naga had, and Amelia's attention returned to the present. Lina grumbled incoherently as she shuffled to the kitchen after seeing that she would have to fend for herself for breakfast. She returned a few minutes later with a bowl of cereal, a Danish, a banana, four microwaved sausages, a mug of coffee, a cup of milk, and a cup of orange juice.

"Hey, Gourry," she said. "We need to make sure we eat before we hit the slopes." He nodded absently, and Amelia almost laughed at the idea that they would make perfect hobbits with their eating habits. _Second breakfast…_

Lina continued, addressing Amelia, "You, too. Even if you aren't going up with us, you need to eat again."

"We'll get something when we go downstairs, Lina," Naga assured her. It looked as if she were about to fall asleep right on top of her Danish.

"By the way, the door's fixed," Amelia said idly.

Naga sighed. "Whatever. I think Xelloss was able to get a day comped because of it."

Amelia grinned. Even if Naga wasn't the optimist that Amelia was, she still was able to find a bright lining to that fiasco. Amelia cleared her dishes as Zelgadiss emerged from his room. He, too, didn't seem eager to greet the morning, but he was more alive than Naga or Lina.

"Good morning, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia said with an easy smile when he joined her in the kitchen.

"Morning, Amelia." He returned the smile, but found it difficult to be as easy-going as he had been the previous night. "How're you feeling?"

She washed her bowl and spoon and placed them in the drying rack as he poured himself a bowl of cereal.

"Better. Gracia and I will eat again when we go downstairs."

"Good. When will that be?"

"I don't know." She lowered her voice. "Whenever she finally wakes up, I suppose," she whispered, nodding her head at her sister.

After glancing at Naga, he couldn't help but chuckle, and he finished it with a cough to cover up the fact that he had laughed so freely with her. Amelia smiled at him then retreated into her room, and he returned to the dining room to eat.

Naga watched him through bleary eyes as he ate, and then a thought struck her.

"Hey, Zel," she began. "What're you doing today?"

"I don't really know. I was going to use the gym for an hour, but after that…" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, it looks like everyone's going skiing, and I'm going out with my sister. Since you can't hit the slopes, want to join us?"

He eyed her warily, but he just couldn't think of a bad reason why she would invite him. And since he and Amelia had made up, he didn't see spending time with them as a bad thing. What was she up to?

He tried to play noncommittal. "Whatever. I don't have anything better to do."

He was sure Naga had something planned, but decided that spending some time with Amelia would be worth whatever it was that her sister had in mind for him.

* * *

Amelia took it easy that day, taking her time while she, her sister, and Zelgadiss shopped. She sat when she was tired, ate when she was hungry, and drank when she was thirsty. She _also_ sat when she _wasn't_ tired, ate when she _wasn't_ that hungry, and drank when she felt like she was going to pop.

Gracia and Zelgadiss could be annoyingly concerned, it seemed.

Her stomach was feeling much better today than it had for the last month. It wasn't too difficult to figure out what the cause of her lack of appetite had been. Uncertainty and heartache had actually caused her to lose ten pounds since Thanksgiving, despite having had a feast at Christmas. Zelgadiss mentioned it to her as they were waiting for Naga to try on some clothes.

"Why aren't you getting anything, Amelia? I thought that shopping was the whole purpose for today."

"My sister doesn't think I should buy anything that fits me," Amelia said grudgingly as she sifted through the racks of clothes. "But I want to get new jeans. These are loose on me."

She lifted her shirt a bit to show him that her jeans were bunched up under her cinched up belt. Seeing her bare stomach, Zelgadiss couldn't help but blush, and he pointedly looked away. Luckily, Amelia didn't notice.

"I dropped a size, so she thinks that if I buy something that just fits, I'm just going to gain the weight again. She doesn't want me to waste the money, especially if she can't wear it either."

He absentmindedly looked at the rack of clothes in front of him.

"Hmm… So that's it. When I got here, I _thought_ there was something different about you. I thought you looked… smaller."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked with a smirk.

Zelgadiss glanced at her and changed the subject. "I don't see why you can't get what you want."

Amelia laughed. "Nice way of avoiding the question, Mister Zelgadiss. Well, in this store, at least, I didn't find anything that I liked anyway."

They were interrupted when Naga coughed to get their attention, and then opened the curtain to the changing booth with a dramatic flourish, and began to strut towards them, clad in a very revealing red and black bustier and a matching long black skirt, gathered in the front to reveal her fishnet stockinged legs. Her knee-high black boots and long black gloves completed the look. Amelia just stared while Zelgadiss turned around and pretended not to notice.

"G…Gracia," Amelia stuttered, unsure of how to word it, "Goth?"

"Don't you love it, Tes? I think I've found more inspiration. You'll see." She put her hands out before her, as if she were imagining her clothing line before her eyes. "I've already got a huge line of bustiers and corsets, but what we need is more long skirts. This look is great. I love the skulls! Come on! We should embrace our inner goth," she finished with a wink.

Since Amelia didn't understand the fashion world, she simply nodded to her sister and smiled. Shortly after Naga bought those clothes, they went to eat lunch at a small diner off the main street. It was a small mom and pop place, with a long counter running the length of the diner, and booths along the other wall. Amelia slid into one of the booths, and Naga, smirking to herself, sat across from her.

Now, Zelgadiss would have to pick who to sit beside…

There was just a moment of hesitation, but he slid in next to Amelia. She handed him a menu and returned her attention to her own. Naga eyed them over the top of her menu. Her sister hadn't told her anything about what happened between them the previous night. The second Amelia's head had hit the pillow, she was asleep, and Naga was left to wonder what had actually taken place.

The waitress came over and took their orders, and Naga and Zelgadiss both added suggestions for more food for Amelia.

"No. I don't want a side salad _and_ soup. I think just the soup, please. And (okay, already!) I'll have the sundae, but well after I've finished my lunch, please," she told the waitress.

"Would you like all three toppings, honey? Or you can mix and match them."

Once again, Naga and Zelgadiss put in their two cents.

"Hot fudge is probably better. It's got more sugar."

"No. The strawberry topping. And make sure it has whipped cream…"

"Isn't caramel almost pure sugar…?"

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Geez, you two! I'm not an invalid. Miss, I'll just have it whatever way you would normally make it, please," she said, glaring at them.

The waitress laughed. "Alright honey. I'll make sure your orders come right up."

When she left, Amelia turned in her seat to address them both.

"You both know that I can order for myself, right? I just fainted last night. I'm not dying of starvation."

At least Zelgadiss appeared embarrassed. "Sorry about that," he said with a smile. "I guess I got carried away."

Her expression softened, and she lightly punched him in the arm. "I can still kick your butt, you know."

"Hmm. Maybe."

Naga watched the interaction, and a sly grin appeared on her face.

"So, did you two _kiss_ and make up last night?"

The smiles vanished from both their faces, and they turned beet red.

"Gracia!"

"Naga!"

"Ohohohohohohoho!"

"Oh, shut up," Amelia said sullenly, kicking her sister under the table. That only made her laugh even more.

"I knew it! You can thank me later, both of you. See? Love conquers all! Ohohohohohohoho!"

Zelgadiss, redder than Amelia had ever seen, threw his napkin on the table and got up. "I don't need this," he grumbled, and strode off.

Amelia turned an angry glare at her sister.

"Why did you do that? You know how sensitive he is about that kind of stuff," she whispered harshly at her. "He's probably pissed at me now!"

Naga wiped the tears from her face. She was trying to hold in her guffaws, but little chuckles trickled out as she spoke.

"Oh, come on, Tes. Heh heh. He won't be pissed at you. He'll… heh heh… he'll be upset with me. Besides… heh heh heh… he didn't leave, he's in the bathroom. Okay, okay…" She took a deep breath. "Okay, stop kicking me! I'll be good. Heh heh. No, really!"

"You're impossible!" Amelia said, frustrated at her sister's antics. "I'm going to call Daddy." And with that, she got up and left.

"Tell him I said 'happy new year'!" she yelled after her.

Laughing to herself, Naga fanned herself with her menu. For once, her plan actually worked, unforeseen incidents helping out. Of course, her sister almost ended up in the hospital, but that was the hotel's fault. Xelloss would make sure to get the paperwork in by the time they got back. The Celestial was nice, but the service sucked.

Before long, Zelgadiss returned, glaring at Naga.

"Now is later, if you'd like to thank me," she said sweetly, batting her eyes.

"Can I strangle you later, too?" he asked as he looked around them.

Naga leaned back, draping both her arms across the back of the booth.

"Oh, come on. If nothing happened, then you would have just come out and said it. Instead, you both stutter and blush like you've been caught red-handed. Neither of you know how to lie about love."

"Whatever," he grumbled. "Where's Amelia?"

"She's calling my father. She wanted to let him know that she was okay, and to wish them a happy new year. I think she also wants to find out how Ginger is doing without her."

"What? Who's 'Ginger'?"

Before she could answer, the front door to the diner chimed and Amelia returned to the booth. Zelgadiss moved over, and she sat down next to him.

"I had to cut him off," she explained as she shoved her phone back into her purse. "You were right. He wanted to come right over to make sure I was okay."

"What did you say to convince him?" Naga wondered.

"I had to promise him that I wouldn't go skiing for the rest of the trip."

Naga rolled her eyes. "Well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"I can't do that!"

"Why not? He won't know any better."

"I don't want to lie to Daddy, okay? Now's not the time to take him for granted, you know." Amelia crossed her arms.

Naga clearly wanted to say something to refute her, but held back and kept her mouth shut. Zelgadiss could see the tension increasing between them.

Deciding to intervene, he asked, "So… uh, who's Ginger?"

It worked. Amelia became distracted and turned to answer him.

"She's my puppy. Gracia gave her to me for Christmas."

The food arrived, and they spent the next half hour eating and talking about Amelia's puppy. No further mention was made about the previous night or their father, though Naga kept glancing at them as if she wanted to say something.

Amelia had her banana split - vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream with hot fudge, caramel, and strawberry topping, whipped cream, peanuts and a cherry. And even though Naga clearly wanted to share, Amelia inhaled the sundae before she could even ask.

They continued shopping, and Amelia finally found clothes she liked. In addition to the clothes, she also found shoes, as well as presents for her father, Beth, Jordan and Ginger. Naga bought something at almost every shop they visited, and by the time they headed back to the Celestial, Zelgadiss was over laden with bags in his hands and boxes under his arms. He desperately tried to hold onto everything without dropping anything or bumping into anyone, but when he accidentally knocked over Amelia when he turned to answer her question about his rehab, he decided that it was too much.

"Look," he began as he helped Amelia back to her feet. All the bags and boxes lay on the sidewalk on either side of him, and Naga was leaning against the light pole in tears, she was laughing so hard. "I figured that you only wanted me as your pack mule on this trip, but can you at least hold onto some of this stuff? This is ridiculous."

He began handing her some of the bags, and she accepted three before she realized that Amelia wasn't holding any of hers.

"Hey. What about her?" she asked, pointing at Amelia.

"She doesn't need to exert herself, Naga."

"Well, neither do I."

"_You're_ in perfect health," he argued back.

Amelia stepped between them and picked up two of her bags. "Come on, now. No fighting, please. Let's _all_ get this stuff back, okay?"

She smiled, and, despite the fact that she was indeed beginning to get tired, picked up another bag and began walking back to the resort. Sighing, Zelgadiss and Naga divided the remaining between them and caught up to Amelia.

* * *

The next couple of days passed quickly, but Amelia and Zelgadiss made the most of their time together. Since they were the only ones who weren't allowed to ski, Amelia convinced Zelgadiss to play in the snow instead.

After a long day of building a snow fort (which was built on Zel's design), she dragged him into a snowball fight in which their friends soon joined when they were done for the day. They decided to break into teams: girls against guys. Shura decided to sit out, citing the fact that it would be uneven, and that she wanted to give the guys a fair fight.

It was tough going, since Gourry's aim was dead on and Zelgadiss could always anticipate where the girls would pop up. Xelloss preferred to sit back and watch them hit each other, but whenever one of the girls happened by, he'd ambush her and disappear before she could react to the snowball to her back. Val was the kamikaze of the group, attacking head-on with fervor.

Lina and Naga were not to be outdone, however. Though their strategies differed greatly, they both wielded snowballs quickly and accurately. Of course, it didn't help their cause when Lina wanted to sneak up behind them and Naga kept giving away their position by attacking too soon. Amelia kept to the fort, mostly, and made up for her lack of accuracy with quantity. She kept raining snowballs down on the guys in the makeshift bunker, not giving them much time to attack. Filia defended the fort with gusto. She was a surprising asset to the team with her throwing arm, but it was easy to get her riled up and off focus.

Team Lina ended up winning, but only after Lina heaved an enormous snowball at the guys and ended up knocking Gourry and Zelgadiss into a tree, which dumped its heavy load of snow across the bunker, burying Team Gourry under a foot of snow. It took both Amelia and Shura to pull Lina and Naga off of the pile of snow; they had been standing atop the mountain of snow like conquerors, laughing into the sky. Filia just lay against the fort laughing while Amelia and Shura began digging the guys out.

The next day, since Zelgadiss' loss in the snow fight, he decided to stay indoors, doing something much more mundane, and much less likely to get snow down his underwear. Amelia stayed with him, and they watched TV for the better part of the day. At one point, they watched a hockey game: the Saillune Kings versus the Elmekia Flames. Amelia had no idea what was going on, so Zelgadiss took it upon himself to explain the rules of the game. She was shocked how rough the checks could be, and was even moreso when two of the players dropped their sticks, threw off their gloves and began fighting each other.

"Why are the referees just letting them fight like that? Can't they stop them?" she asked, properly horrified.

"Sure they can. See? That Flames player fell to the ice, so the refs are stopping it."

"But… but why did they fight in the first place?"

"The Flames player checked one of the other players harder than he needed to, so the Kings player is just looking out for him."

"By getting into a fight? Won't they be kicked out?"

Zelgadiss laughed. "A little fight like that? No. Both players are getting a five minute penalty for fighting. It looks like the Flames player is also getting a two minute boarding penalty. I think that's what started the fight. He checked the Kings player, who was digging for the puck, straight into the wall."

"So," she began, trying to get it straight in her head, "they get to sit in the penalty box for five minutes, but when the Kings player gets to come out, then the Kings are on a power play for the two minutes the Flames player has to serve for boarding. And a power play just means that the Kings have a man advantage, right?"

"You're getting the hang of it, but they're actually on a power play _now_. See? They put one of the other players in the box to serve his penalty."

"Oh… Umm… okay."

She didn't sound confident, but she nodded her head and watched, trying to concentrate on the game. He smirked at how much she wanted to learn.

"Now, look. The Flames are pulling the goalie." He pointed out the goalie skating to the bench.

"Why on earth would they do that?" she asked, utterly confused.

"The power play is over, they're down by a point, and there's only three minutes left. Now, they have six attackers instead of five to try to even up the score."

They watched in tense fascination. The Kings were up 2 to 1, but the way the Flames were attacking the net, it seemed only inevitable that they would score soon. Suddenly, there was a turnover, and a Kings player went streaking across the ice towards the empty Flames net. Amelia jumped to her feet.

"Ohmigosh! He just scored! Mister Zelgadiss, can he do that? They didn't have anyone guarding the net!"

"Yeah. It was a risky play, but those are the breaks. It looks like the Kings are going to win again," he said with a satisfied smile.

Sure enough, the Kings won, and Amelia and Zelgadiss chattered on about the game as they ate lunch in town. It was an exciting game, and Amelia seemed to be interested in learning more about how it was played. Apparently, Zelgadiss was a pretty devoted Kings fan, though he wasn't one to paint his face and get into fights with the opposing team's fans. He idly suggested going to a game back home, and she immediately jumped on the idea.

"Oh, that would be so cool!" she exclaimed.

"I'll see if I can get us tickets," he said, nodding. Then he froze.

Did he just ask her out on a date? Not that he didn't want to go or anything, but… he was just getting used to the idea that he could be close with her. But it wasn't like going someplace with her was unusual. After all, he was in Aspen, sitting in a restaurant with her, and none of their friends were around. If it was anyone else, he'd say that this was a date.

Then… did that mean that they were a couple?

"Mister Zelgadiss? Are you okay?"

He looked up and saw that Amelia was watching him worriedly.

"Oh. I'm sorry." He grinned sheepishly. "My mind just wandered. What were we talking about?"

"The hockey game. Are you sure you're okay? Your face got really pale all of a sudden."

"Oh… umm… well, yeah. I just remembered something that I've got to do when we get back, that's all. I almost forgot that we're leaving tomorrow."

"I know. So much has happened, huh?" A small smile crept to her lips, and a delicate blush dusted her cheeks.

Zelgadiss felt his heart tighten in his chest at the sight of her smile.

"Yeah," he said simply, wishing he had the courage to hold her hand, especially when he knew that it would make her smile like that.

* * *

"Bye, Miss Shura. I'm glad I got to meet you," Amelia said as she hugged her new friend tightly. When she released her, Shura grinned at her.

"Take care of this guy, okay?" she whispered so no one else could hear. "He cares a lot about you, you know."

"Yeah. I will." Amelia smiled widely and then turned to catch up to her friends, waiting for her at the gate.

"And as for you," Shura said, turning to face Zelgadiss. "Don't worry about my fee. I didn't really do much watching over her anyway. It's just good to see you smiling, hon." She gave him a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. He still blushed.

"Thanks again for your help. You know that I'll pay you anyway. Even if I couldn't be here, I'd still only trust you with something this important," he said seriously. She looked down, and he knew that she only did that because her face was red. "And you know what? Amelia told me that Val's going to be an environmental engineer. He might not be as gruff as he tries to put on."

She punched at him, but he laughed and danced away. Her face was redder than he had ever seen.

"Yeah. Whatever. I already know that," she smirked. "Go on. You'd better get out of here."

Zelgadiss waved goodbye and shouldered his carryon, following the group to the gate to bid farewell to his friends. He was going to have to wait for the next flight, since Naga had booked the tickets separately from Amelia.

Gourry stepped forward from the cluster of people and clasped Zelgadiss' hand.

"Are we on for next Saturday?" he asked, giving his friend a 'buddy-hug'.

"Yeah. This time Xelloss' place," Zelgadiss answered. "Hey, tell Zangulus not to get there too early. You know how Xelloss can be."

Xelloss materialized out of nowhere and nudged Zelgadiss in the ribs.

"Exactly how can I be?" he wondered.

The smile disappeared from Zelgadiss' face as he rubbed his side.

"Annoying," he deadpanned.

Lina yelled for Gourry, and after assuring them that he would make sure their fourth poker player would not arrive at Xelloss' place too early, he obediently went to answer her summons. Xelloss, however, remained beside his friend.

"I see you took my advice and took her away from Val," he said, indicating Amelia, who was gushing over her sister. Naga, looking exasperated, patted her on her head.

"I didn't 'take' her. We just…" Zelgadiss paused, wondering just how he should word it. 'Came to an understanding?' No, that wasn't quite right. In fact, he didn't really _understand_ what they were. "…We just made up, that's all," he finished lamely.

Xelloss turned his gaze on him, and Zelgadiss shuddered. Damn, those eyes were unnerving.

"Hmm… A word of advice?"

Zel snorted and rolled his eyes. "I ask again: since when should I take _your_ advice about relationships?"

"As you will, then. But just remember, as long as you're working on her family's case, _she's_ your _client_."

Zelgadiss felt as if he had just torn his stitches again.

"Most places won't look too kindly on mixing business with pleasure," Xelloss continued, looking pointedly at Filia. "Believe me. _I_ know how difficult it can be."

Damn. He forgot. There was no way he could date his _client_…

"Well, have a safe flight," Xelloss said brightly, clapping him on his shoulder and then joining Filia at the gate. He gave her a quick kiss, which took her by surprise but inevitably resulted in a flattered smile. Xelloss put his arm around her waist, and the two disappeared through the gate.

Zelgadiss just remained where he was, almost appearing as lost as he felt. His ears caught a stray comment, and he tried to compose himself.

"…I'll see you in a few days, Tesla," Naga was saying. "Shoot. I've got to run. My plane is leaving in ten minutes."

She gave her sister a quick hug and waved goodbye to Zelgadiss. She was catching a different flight to Atlas City rather than returning to Saillune with him, but he suddenly wished they _were_ on the same flight so he could discuss her family's case with her. Unfortunately, the sound of her heels clicking as she walked away was the only thing she left him.

Amelia stepped towards him, and it was then that he realized that he and Amelia were the only two left in the terminal.

"Well…" he began, scratching the back of his head. Suddenly, he didn't know what to say.

"_Last call for Flight Number 725, direct service to Saillune. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready._"

Amelia glanced back towards the attendant who was watching them impatiently. Then she returned her gaze to Zelgadiss.

"Well, I've got to go, Mister Zelgadiss. I… I guess I'll see you soon?" she asked timidly. She was bouncing slightly as she tapped her heel nervously.

Already hating himself for what he was about to do, he tried his best to appear indifferent.

"Yeah. I'll give you a call." He gave her a small wave, and then took a step back.

He could have sworn that a look of disappointment shadowed her face for a moment before she composed herself. Waving back, she smiled and retreated to the gate and the awaiting attendant. Turning his back on her, Zelgadiss walked dejectedly to his own gate.

This was going to suck.

* * *

A shadow appeared above her, and Amelia looked up to see Lina standing next to her in the aisle. They had been airborne a little over an hour and had already had their complimentary bag of salted nuts and tiny cup of soda.

"Hey, Val," Lina said, tapping him on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes and glared up at her. He pulled off his earphones.

"What?" he asked in irritation.

She pointed her thumb behind her. "Go sit next to Gourry."

He sat up. "Why? You fighting with him?"

Reaching across Amelia again, she smacked his shoulder. "No. I just want to talk to my friend here for a bit. Girl-stuff, you know?"

"Ugh. Here. You can have her."

Lina smirked as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped past Amelia. Lina took his spot. Amelia merely looked on curiously.

"What's up, Miss Lina?" she asked when her friend had settled in.

Trying, but failing, to hide a grin, she answered, "So what happened between you and Zel?"

"Oh." Amelia blushed, but smiled as she leaned in close. "We made up."

Lina's eyebrow rose in interest. "_Really_? So? _So_?"

"We kissed," she whispered.

Now, Lina, being cool and in control, was not given to squealing girlishly at much. This, however, was an exception.

"Miss Lina! Shh!"

Several passengers turned their heads in their direction, but the two girls tried to ignore their stares, especially Val's and Xelloss'.

"I knew you had it in you! So, did it happen when you were on the balcony? What did you do? Give me details!" Lina whispered excitedly.

Amelia recounted the tale, pausing every now and then to shush her friend. When she was finished, Lina patted her arm.

"It's about time. You guys sure were dancing around it long enough."

Suddenly, Amelia looked concerned. "Well, yes, but I'm a little confused."

Lina frowned. "What's to be confused about?"

"He never really said anything about being boyfriend-girlfriend. In fact, after that kiss, it was as if nothing had happened. We kinda went back to the way we were. He didn't even give me a hug when we left."

"Well, maybe it takes him a while to get used to the idea. I mean, he asked you to go to a hockey game with him, right?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about it. Just go with the flow."

Amelia sighed, but nodded her head. "You're right. I'm sure he's just not used to the idea anymore." She paused, and then grinned wolfishly. "I think I can fix that, though," she giggled.

They spent the rest of the trip speaking in low tones, laughing every so often and earning stares from other passengers and suspicious glances from their friends. Before long, they had landed, de-boarded, and said their goodbyes, dragging luggage along behind them. Lina had hitched a ride with Gourry, Val rode with Filia, and Xelloss took a taxi. Although Lina had offered to wait with Amelia until her ride picked her up, the younger girl insisted that she would be fine by herself. She had been surprised that her father hadn't been at the terminal to pick her up, but Jordan had called and left a message on her cell phone to let her know that his mother would be there instead.

So, as she waited for Beth to pick her up, Amelia sat outside at the curbside pickup with her luggage resting between her legs. She was very wary of the people around her, her eyes observing the men and women milling about. Amelia was hardly a skittish person. She was very confident, both in her bearing and in her heart. Nothing was too daunting a task. But, she was also very cautious when she was alone, because, despite her confidence in her skills to protect herself, she was also aware that she was a petite young woman and could easily be out-matched by a larger, more skilled opponent.

Not that anyone would bother her with airport security constantly patrolling the lanes, but in this day and age, one could never be too cautious.

She had only been waiting for fifteen minutes when she had the distinct impression that someone was watching her. It was a crawling sensation across her shoulders and arms, and she hugged her arms to her chest to fight off the feeling. Glancing around, though, she couldn't see anyone whose attention was focused on her.

Slapping her cheeks, she muttered to herself, "I'm just imagining things…"

Beth arrived soon after, and Amelia gratefully packed her luggage away in the trunk and climbed into the warmth of the car.

"So, did you have fun on your vacation?" the housekeeper asked.

Amelia nodded emphatically and proceeded to detail out _almost_ everything that had happened to her.

"It sounds like you had a good time. It's good that you spent some quality time with your sister." Amelia agreed, and they enjoyed the quiet ride home.

"Why wasn't Daddy able to pick me up?" Amelia asked when they had pulled into the driveway.

"Oh, that. He said that he had some last-minute business to attend to, so he couldn't make it in time to get you."

"Huh. Okay."

Though it had only been a week, Amelia missed her father, and she was disappointed that he wasn't even home to greet her. But she understood that when justice called, the Seyruuns were always available to answer. As she stepped into the house, a tiny ball of fur came bounding up to her. Amelia's thoughts sufficiently diverted, she dropped her luggage to scoop up her puppy.

"Hi, Ginger! Did you miss me?" she cooed at her. "How's my baby? Oh! It looks like you've grown!"

Jordan came walking up after her. "She's been going nuts since Bradley packed up Bubbles and left yesterday."

"You just miss your cousin, don't you?" Amelia asked the dog and was rewarded with a barrage of licks. "Let me put away my stuff and I'll come down and play with you, okay?" She handed her to Jordan and picked up her bags.

"Hurry up, okay? I'm going to a movie in fifteen minutes," he called after her.

"Yeah, yeah," she said half-heartedly as she picked up her pile of mail on the table in the foyer before making her way to her room. After dumping her luggage on the floor, she began sorting though the late Christmas cards and junk mail. A couple of cards from high school friends and another from Tohru, she displayed on her desk. Curiously, the last card she opened didn't have a return address. She wryly wondered if it was Chad again.

No sooner had she opened it to read, that it slipped through her numb fingers and fluttered to the floor. Amelia's eyes were wide, her heart hammering in her chest as she stared at the cut-and-pasted words on the card.

"_You didn't heed my warning…_"

* * *

The man was enormous, towering over the people around him. He naturally stood out, even if it weren't for his bright orange jumpsuit and equally bright orange hair. His face, with its square jaw, prominent nose, and frowning eyebrows, commanded attention, even if his deep rumbling bass voice could not. He was a natural leader, and the men around him always gave him deference; no one ever challenged him, not even the guards.

In fact, his time in prison had been like an extended vacation for him. His cell was larger than most, to accommodate his huge frame, of course. Without question, the television in the recreation room was always tuned to whatever station he requested. His meals were always balanced and flavorful, due to his 'specific' nutritional requirements (recommended by his personal physician). And he was still able to ensure his organization was run correctly, even from the confines of the Ingraham Correctional Facility.

The bars slid open accompanied by a loud buzz, and he ducked his head slightly when he stepped through the gate into the visiting room. The guard beside him pointed to the right and retreated back behind the bars. Half a dozen chairs were lined up at a bullet-proof glass counter, separated by not-so-private privacy-walls. On the other side of the glass were six matching chairs, and seated in one of them was a man whom he had become accustomed to seeing over the past few months.

Pulling out the chair and sitting down opposite from the dark-haired man, Gaav picked up the receiver that was attached to the divider. The man did the same.

"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon, Seyruun," Gaav grumbled.

Christopher Seyruun frowned as he spoke. "I didn't expect to be back. We have a problem."

Gaav raised one bushy eyebrow. "_We_? Maybe that's something you should bring up with _him_, not me."

Undaunted, Christopher continued, "I know we're running out of time, but…"

Gaav's eyes narrowed and he sat forward, the tip of his nose almost touching the glass.

"You know what I want," he spat.

"I… I've told you. We're trying to do what we can…"

"I've had enough of your 'trying.' I want more 'doing.'" Gaav's demeanor shifted, and he sat back in his chair. He shrugged his shoulders. "But it's your problem, not mine. _I_ don't have anywhere to go," he said cockily, looking at his sterile surroundings. He smirked and then hung up the phone. Pushing his chair back, he stood and walked back to the gate.

Neither of the Seyruun men were easily intimidated, but for the first time, he saw doubt and panic on Christopher's face. Smiling, Gaav signaled for the guard to open the gate. It opened with another loud buzz and he returned to the comfort of his jail cell.

The wheels were in motion, and there was nothing that would be able to stop it.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

A/N: A fluffy chapter, I know, but life can't always be roses. From now on, I think things will begin to move along at a better pace, with more questions answered and some more revealed. Believe it or not, I actually had to go back and re-read everything I've written so far, just to make sure that in the coming chapters, I pick up all the loose ends I've dropped along the way. The tapestry is far from complete, but I hope the careful weaving I am doing will actually pay off in the end.

I'm so sorry for the long delay in updating. Life again, you know? My co-worker was on maternity leave for four months, so I was left alone with a huge workload… That, and I was having a bad case of writer's block. This chapter had already been written, for the most part, at the beginning of the year, but I just didn't have the urge to go back and finish it until just recently. I'm trying, though!

I am heartily glad that you all have kept with me through all these sporadic updates, and I really do appreciate all your reviews. Special thanks go to Jesphoenix and my sister for constantly bugging me to continue writing, despite all my mental hang-ups. I treasure your feedback and your interest! _Hugs_ to you all!

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	34. A Kiss is Just a Kiss

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 34**

_**A Kiss is Just a Kiss**_

Zelgadiss rubbed at the back of his neck as he stepped out of the terminal dragging his luggage along behind him. Since Naga hadn't been with him, her scrooge-like habits determined that he should fly coach back home.

Damn that stingy woman.

He waited in line for a taxi, trying not to breathe in the noxious fumes emanating from the rusty tailpipes. The couple in front of him had also been on the plane, and their incessant bickering had carried over through the baggage claim and onto the sidewalk. How he wished for a nice long soak in his own bathtub in his own bathroom in his own house.

A taxi pulled up, and the couple tried to get all their luggage stowed away inside. When the next taxi pulled up behind the first, Zel nodded at the attendant and handed him a five dollar bill, and without batting an eye, stepped around the rope barrier. The driver took his luggage and deposited it into the trunk while he got in the car and breathed a big sigh of relief. They were still stuck behind the bickering couple, but at least he was sitting down in air conditioning and not breathing in exhaust fumes.

It was then that he noticed that he had forgotten to turn his cell phone back on after the flight, and decided to check his messages. Sure enough, he had a voice mail, but it was one that did nothing but alarm him.

"_Mister Zelgadiss? It's me, Amelia. I… I know you're probably on the plane right now, but… I… I need to see you, **please**. I don't… Oh, can you please come to the house right away when you get back? There's something… Oh, I don't know. Just come over when you can. Thanks…_"

Zelgadiss frowned.

Amelia sounded scared.

He handed the driver a hundred dollar bill and gave him the Seyruun's address.

"Get me there in twenty minutes," he told the driver.

"Sure, pal. I'd love to, but…" He pointed out the front window where the couple was arguing about the best way to pack the luggage in the trunk.

"Oh, for crying out loud," Zel grumbled before rolling down his window. "Move the taxi," he yelled.

The woman turned around and yelled back at him, "Just wait your turn. _You're_ the one who couldn't wait like the rest of us!"

He really didn't want to do this, but they gave him no choice. Grumbling to himself, he reached into his back pocket and retrieved his wallet. He flipped it open and stuck it out the window, his badge gleaming in the waning sunlight.

"Ma'am. Step back up onto the curb and let your taxi move. Sir, move it up so we can get out," he ordered the other driver. They stood frozen for a second before he barked, "Now!"

They all jumped and scrambled to move out of the way. A minute later, Zelgadiss' taxi was merging into traffic on its way to Amelia's house.

He tried not to worry. Maybe it was something that she forgot, or maybe she just really wanted to see him. Nothing was wrong. She didn't say anything was wrong. She just said that there was 'something'… Deciding that not knowing was just going to make him crazy, he dialed her home number.

Busy.

He tried her cell phone.

Voicemail.

He tried her home number again.

Busy.

Dammit!!!

He debated calling Naga, but decided against it. He didn't want to unnecessarily alarm her. Of course, _he_ might be unnecessarily alarmed right now. Amelia was probably safe and secure at home, nothing out of the ordinary. She just wanted to see him.

Nope. It didn't work that time either.

The drive to the Seyruun residence seemed agonizingly slow, though the driver managed to get him there in nineteen minutes and fifty seconds – a new record from the airport, he was sure – and Zelgadiss all but yanked his luggage out of the trunk. He handed the driver another twenty and without another look back, trudged up the walkway to the front door.

He was about to ring the doorbell when the door opened on its own.

"Mister Zelgadiss," Beth greeted him solemnly with a nod. Her usual smile was gone, replaced with a concerned frown. "I'm so glad you're here."

He stepped past her into the foyer, setting his luggage down on the floor. The house was still decorated in the bright cheerful Christmas decorations, but he could hardly appreciate the beauty surrounding him, not when Amelia was in trouble. He tried to stay cool, but his mouth was open before he could stop himself.

"What's going on? I got a message. Is Amelia okay? I tried calling, but your line is…"

"Yes, yes," she said, gently taking his arm and leading him down the hallway. "They're waiting for you in Mister Phil's study."

"But what's…?"

"In the study, sir."

He nodded and approached the door, hesitantly knocking before entering the room.

Amelia was curled up in one of the leather wingchairs, staring anxiously at something in a plastic bag on the coffee table, and Phil was seated at his desk, clearly on the phone with someone. He acknowledged Zelgadiss' arrival, indicating for him to sit down, but he continued speaking.

"No… No, he just arrived. I'll let him know what's going on…" Phil was saying.

Zel was about to sit in the other chair, but stopped when he saw a ball of golden fur sleeping on the seat.

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss. I'm so glad you got my voice mail," Amelia whispered, gently gathering up her sleeping puppy so he could sit. Ginger sighed and settled herself comfortably in her owner's arms.

"What's going on? I didn't know _what_ to think with that message you left."

"I'm sorry. I was just so flustered. You're the first person I told, but I didn't know what to even tell you."

"…I'll call you once we know something," Phil said. "Please be careful, daughter. I love you. Bye." He hung up the phone, staring at it thoughtfully before addressing Zelgadiss. "I'm sorry if Amelia didn't explain things properly, Mister Zelgadiss. She was a bit upset at what happened."

"I'm sorry, sir, but what exactly _did_ happen?"

Phil looked at Amelia, and she explained. "When I got home, I was opening up my mail, looking at all the late Christmas cards that I had gotten, when I saw that."

She pointed at the clear plastic bag on the table and the plain white card inside it. Zelgadiss felt his insides drop as he instantly recognized it. He didn't have to pick it up to know that it contained cut and pasted letters in some kind of threatening message. He lifted the bag anyway and saw that it not only contained the note, but also the envelope as well.

"When I told Daddy, he had Miss Beth put them in a freezer bag with some tweezers. We didn't know if that was okay or not. Mister Zelgadiss, it… it can't be from _him_, can it?"

That's right. Dilgear had been dead for almost two months…

Zelgadiss examined the note and the envelope through the bag. It was just like most of the others, but as he quickly searched his memory for any similarities, he realized something quite disturbing: this was the first note that was specifically addressed to Amelia.

The odd dozen notes that had been sent to the family had been sent only to Naga and Phil, either at their workplace or at their homes. Zelgadiss had thought that Amelia had been receiving them as well, but found out that the anonymous cards that _she_ had been getting were from her ex-boyfriend. Those were hand-written and were nowhere near threatening. And not only was this addressed to her, it had been postmarked January first.

"No, Amelia," he said. He looked up to regard them both. "I remember where I shot him. They pulled my bullets from his body. The autopsy, the ballistics, the dental records; everything matches up. Dilgear's dead for sure this time. Which means…"

"Which means there's someone else; it's not over," Phil finished, shaking his head. He looked so tired.

Zel hated being right.

"Sir, I think we need to take this thing a little more seriously than before. It's obvious that there's still someone out there, and that they've changed their tactics, even slightly."

Amelia frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"This is the first one of these things that was sent directly to you, right? First it was to Naga, postmarked from Atlas City," he explained, thinking aloud. "Then next it was to you, sir, postmarked from Atlas City. From then, the notes were more sporadic, hailing from either Atlas City or Saillune, but each one finding you directly, wherever you happened to be. There was even one for you when you were visiting your daughter. Someone is keeping very close tabs on your family's movements, so much so, that they knew whenever someone was or wasn't home.

"It seems that now they're taking a more active interest in you, Amelia, for whatever reason. Stealing your jewelry might have been a cover for something else. Was there anything else that was missing?"

Amelia thought hard about her belongings, but couldn't think of anything. It seemed as if there had to be something, but try as she might, nothing came to mind. She shook her head.

"But why would they want to bother me? I'm just a regular college student! I'm not rich and famous like Gracia, or deal with criminals like Daddy does…"

Philionel suddenly became pale.

Zelgadiss could hardly believe it. "Sir, don't tell me no one even brought up revenge as a possibility…"

He covered his face with his hands. "Of course, I did. That was the first thing we thought of, but we were reassured that it was most likely not the case. Detective Artemay assured me…"

Zelgadiss cut him off.

"Artemay?"

Phil looked up. "Yes. The detective who was working on our case. Her name was Anne Artemay. Why? Is there something wrong?"

Anne Artemay just transferred _to_ Atlas City. Joe Artemay transferred _back_ to Atlas City after a failed hostage negotiation…

Zelgadiss could feel the pieces slowly beginning to click into place, but he didn't want to make the leaps that he could not bridge with cold hard evidence. The last thing he needed to do was accuse a police officer of not only hindering an investigation, but of being an accomplice to a crime as well, without adequate evidence. _That_ was something he knew all about.

No. He would have to keep those thoughts to himself for a while longer.

"No," he said right away. "I just recognized the name, but I was thinking of someone else. Sir, I think you need to consider anyone who might have a grudge against you. A case that you decided that may have put someone behind bars, perhaps?"

Phil covered his face with his hands, drawing them down slowly, as if trying to wipe away the weariness he felt.

"I… I thought that this would never happen again."

"Again?" This time, it was Amelia who questioned him. A sudden fear gripped her; her father _never_ was cowed by anything. "What do you mean, 'again', Daddy? Did this happen before?"

Phil looked at Amelia in surprise, almost as if he just realized that she was in the room. All at once, his demeanor changed. He slammed both hands down on the desk and stood up quickly.

"Yes, well, we were able to deal with them before! We'll deal with them again!" he boomed, clutching his fist before him.

The fear immediately vanished, and Amelia joined in with his inspiring speech.

"We'll find out who the culprits are and let them face the Hammer of Justice!" she said, jumping up and waking up her puppy, which tumbled sideways onto the seat. Ginger looked around, dazed, before whining to her owner. Amelia, however, was mid-justice speech and didn't notice.

Zelgadiss reached over and picked up the poor animal. She sniffed him warily, but since Amelia was still in the room, she settled down and contented herself with watching him.

He muttered under his breath, "And how would we do that?"

Undeterred, Amelia continued. "We'll meet their treachery with a righteous heart and an honorable soul!"

Phil nodded his head at his daughter's stirring words.

The dog was quite cute, and despite being held by a stranger, she finally lay down on Zelgadiss' lap. He couldn't help but scratch behind her ear. He looked up at Amelia, clutching her fist to her chest, _feeling_ the integrity of her words. This was hardly the first time he had heard her launch into an enthusiastic tirade, and he was used to having to bring her back down to earth.

"Which will do what, exactly?" he asked patiently.

"We'll quench their desire for evil with the flame of truth!"

He sighed and grasped her sleeve, giving it a good tug to get her attention.

"Realistically, now," he began, and though the spark of righteousness in her eye did not diminish, Amelia lowered herself into her seat. "I think we need to step up security here. Do you have a security system on the house?"

Amelia suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Well, we _had_ one, but… I accidentally broke it."

"Broke? How did you…?" He stopped short and sighed again. Knowing Amelia, he probably didn't want to know. "Never mind. At any rate, you should either get it fixed or get a new system, right away."

Phil nodded and wrote something down in his planner. "Now, before you go any further, Mister Zelgadiss, I want to make one thing clear. I don't want to live in seclusion. I don't want these people to think we're afraid of them. I shall never give in to terrorists."

Although he didn't necessarily agree one hundred percent with Philionel, he certainly understood his feelings. Zelgadiss nodded and then continued.

"It hasn't come to that, sir, so that shouldn't be a problem. But, if it does, I hope that you would consider it as a last resort. In the meantime, though, I don't think you or your daughters should travel anywhere together. Unless the perpetrators give us something more than these vague warnings," he said, indicating the note, "we can't be sure which one of you they are targeting. Naga needs to keep people she trusts with her at all times."

"She's already doing so. I just told her what happened, and she's making sure her assistant accompanies her when she comes home in a couple of weeks."

Amelia spoke up. "Will it still be okay for us all to go see Mommy?"

Zelgadiss didn't have a chance to wonder as Phil explained, "We are going to visit my wife's grave on the fifteenth. It's the tenth anniversary of her death."

"Oh."

What could he say to that? Except…

"I don't think you should put that off. I think it's good that you go about your lives, but you just need to be more careful not to put yourselves in a position where you are vulnerable." He turned to Amelia. "I also don't think you should ride your motorcycle."

"_What_?" she asked, her eyebrow raised in disbelief.

Uh oh. He knew that tone.

"Amelia, it's not safe…"

"Then how am I supposed to go anywhere? I've got school and work!"

"About that," he began. Oh, she was _not_ going to like what he was going to say. "I think you should stop working for a while, at least until this thing is over."

"**_What_**???"

Uh oh. He knew _that_ tone, too.

"Amelia, the more places you are, the higher the chances are that you'll be in a position where something can happen. I'm not saying that you should hole up here whenever you're not at school, but…"

Amelia shot to her feet. She glared down at him.

"But _what_? Should I just sit here twiddling my thumbs all day waiting for something to happen? Daddy said that we're not going to live in seclusion!"

"And you _won't_ be. Your father has his work, but he's at home when he's not, right sir?"

Concern had slowly descended upon Philionel's countenance, and he nodded.

"Mister Zelgadiss is right, Sweetheart. You'd be safer here…"

She turned to her father. "But you said that I could move out with Miss Lina and Miss Filia next quarter!" This was getting frustrating!

"Things are different now."

"That's not fair! Well, then what about my car? They just ordered the upholstery! How am I going to pay for that…?"

Philionel calmly interrupted, "I'll pay for it, daughter."

She changed her tactics and rounded on Zelgadiss. "Okay, so what about Jordan? They actually _hurt_ him! Do your rules apply to him too?"

He caught Phil's eye as he answered. "I think they should. Look, Amelia, this doesn't mean that you can't go out with your friends and that you can't go about your life as before. It just means that you won't be as exposed as you are now."

"We were just in Aspen where I spent a lot of time 'exposed' and nothing happened to me there! What gives you the right to come in here and tell us what to do? I'm not going to stop riding my motorcycle, and I'm not going to quit my job, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you tell me what I can and can't do!!!"

With that, she stormed off, slamming the door behind her. Once she was gone, Phil's shoulder's sagged, and the weariness that had vanished so quickly before had suddenly reappeared on his face. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Mister Zelgadiss. I was afraid something like this would happen. Amelia is so stubborn, just like her mother." He shook his head. "She's usually so dutiful, but sometimes, she gets it in her head that what she wants to do, she'll do… just like that damned motorcycle. I don't know what to do, Mister Zelgadiss. I don't want to lock her up here. She'd be miserable. But I also don't want her hurt."

"She's just upset now, sir. I'm sure when she calms down, she'll see reason."

"Perhaps…" His eyes strayed down to Amelia's dog, asleep in Zelgadiss' arms. A strange look crossed his features, and when Phil spoke, his voice sounded choked. "Son, I know you've become very close with Amelia."

The blood rushed from Zelgadiss' arms and his heartbeat pounded in his ears.

How much did he know?

Phil continued, "I try to be strong for her. I don't want her to know how worried I truly am about this business. The threats from before… There should be a case file on it. Don't let her know about it if you can help it, but there is something similar about them. Look it up when you can."

Zelgadiss inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Phil caught his eye and continued.

"I have a favor to ask of you, Mister Zelgadiss. I… I'm not one to dwell on my own mortality, but… if something should happen to me… The thought of my baby girl being all alone kills me inside. Mister Zelgadiss, if anything happens… please promise me that you'll take care of Amelia."

Phil appeared so weak, as if he had been beaten down. He had never known this pillar of strength to be so broken. It wasn't right.

"Of course I will, sir."

With a colossal sigh, Philionel stood and shook off the mantle of darkness that had descended upon him. "I'd better try to talk some sense back into that daughter of mine," he said.

Zelgadiss stood, blocking his path. He gently handed Ginger to the man.

"I'd better go, sir. I'm the one she's upset with. Besides," he said with the barest hint of a smirk, "I'm used to her beating up on me."

Zelgadiss stepped out of the study, leaving Phil behind with the dog. Beth approached him and let him know that Amelia was in the backyard. He thanked her, and then followed Amelia outside. Of course, he had no idea what he was going to say to Amelia to convince her to take his advice. Short of begging, he wasn't sure she would concede to any less.

* * *

Amelia paced back and forth across the backyard lawn, quietly grumbling to herself. Who were they to dictate her life as if it were their own? She was a grown adult! No one told her how to live her life, not even her own father! So why should she listen to Zelgadiss???

The back door opened, then closed, and Amelia glanced over her shoulder. Sure enough, Zelgadiss had spotted her and was cautiously approaching. Frowning, Amelia kept wearing a track in the lawn, trying to ignore him.

"Amelia."

She kept walking towards the back corner of the property, behind the garage and out of sight of the house. Jordan had made this back corner into a nice little retreat, with a fountain and a bench against the rose-strewn trellis along the back wall of the garage. The small gate nearby led to the unused stables at the rear of the property and the horse-trail that wound around the hill.

Zelgadiss sighed and tried again. "Amelia, _please_," he said, reaching out and catching her arm.

She turned around quickly, angrily shrugging him off. He backed off and held up his hands.

"Okay, I know you're angry with me…"

"You're damned right I am!" she yelled harshly. Her voice echoed into the night, and she hushed her outburst. "Where do you get off telling me what to do? Not even my father does that!"

Zelgadiss was taken aback. He wasn't used to being yelled at by Amelia; Lina, yes, but _not_ Amelia.

"I'm not _telling_ you to do anything," he whispered back, just as harshly.

"Yes, you did, Zelgadiss! What was all that 'don't ride your motorcycle' and 'quit your job' crap? Are you saying that I imagined it all?"

"Amelia, I never said that. I just told you what I _think_ you should do. And I only suggested it because I'm worried for you."

Shoot. He was right…

"Well, whatever!" she muttered.

Her chest suddenly felt heavy, and her eyes were beginning to water up. Amelia's emotions, so close to the surface recently, were all too ready to be released. So much had happened to her that it was becoming too much to handle.

"I shouldn't have to hide…"

Oh no. She wasn't going to cry!

"I shouldn't have to…"

She _wasn't_ going to cry!

"…put my life on hold…"

Too late. The tears were already pouring down her face. She wiped at them angrily with her sleeve.

"This isn't fair!" she cried, turning away from him so he wouldn't see her so weak and childish. 'Grown woman'. What a laugh!

"Amelia…" he sighed again.

He began to reach out for her, but he pulled his hand back, clenching it into a fist. He inwardly railed at himself, telling himself that he wasn't going to show her any affection, and that he was going to keep their relationship platonic – for the time being. But the longer she stood there crying, feeling so helpless, the weaker his resolve became. Hell, it was sort of his fault anyway.

Dammit, even platonic friends could comfort each other.

"Come here," he whispered, and finally reached out, placing his arms around her and enveloping her in a comforting embrace. She resisted, but his arms were strong, holding her fast, and she found herself crying even more. Finally, she turned in his arms and buried her face in his chest.

"I guess I'm just being overprotective, Amelia. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't be there to protect you… and your family," he added, hoping he hadn't sounded too sappy.

He just held her as she complained about how unfair and unjust it all was. She didn't even have a good argument against what he had suggested, but that didn't make her feel any better about it. What made things worse was the simple fact that Zelgadiss still felt it his responsibility to put himself in danger's way, just to protect her.

No.

She couldn't handle it if anything happened to him again. Without warning, she pushed him away and turned to stare at the water, bubbling up from the fountain.

"I don't want you working on this case anymore, Mister Zelgadiss," she said quietly.

"_What_?" This time, it was _his_ turn to wonder what the heck she was thinking.

She hugged her arms to her chest, suddenly feeling very cold and alone.

"Please, stop working on this case," she repeated.

Zelgadiss suddenly realized what she was doing, and he frowned. His hand closed on her arm, but it wasn't the gentle touch from a couple of minutes ago; his grip was firm. She tried to shrug him off, but he held her fast. He spun her around to face him.

"You're _not_ going to do this to me. After all we just went through, I'll be damned if _you're_ going to push _me_ away this time!" he hissed.

"Stop it," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

"Give me a good reason why I should," he demanded. She turned away, not answering him. "I'm not going anywhere, Amelia," he said, his voice thick with emotion, despite his efforts to rein them in. He just couldn't stand the thought of her having to deal with this all by herself.

Finally, Amelia's heart softened, and she glanced up at him. She had never really seen him angry before, but this was close. His eyes caught hers, and her heart skipped a beat.

"I'm not going to stop my investigation. If I have to, I'll follow you. I'll drive you to school; I'll drive you to work; I'll drive you home. I'll sit and wait for you. I swear, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, whether you like it or not."

"But…" she began, but she had no idea what to say. She tried to pull away, but still found herself held tightly in his grasp.

"'But' what?" he asked quickly. When she didn't answer him, he pulled her back into his embrace. This time, however, she didn't resist him. He pulled away slightly so he could look her in the eyes. Softening his tone, he said, "Hey, we're in this together, okay? I've got as much vested in this thing as you do."

She bit her lip and nodded, giving him a little embarrassed smile as she wiped at her face. Even despite her reddened eyes, she still looked beautiful in the moonlight. A beautiful, forbidden fruit…

Zelgadiss had spent so much of the past few years denying himself the joys in life, simply because he believed that he didn't deserve anything so good. And just when he was beginning to imagine a life where he could express himself more freely than he had before, another wall sprung up before he had a chance to _see_ that the grass was greener.

_That wasn't fair either…_

Before he knew exactly what he was doing, he swiftly leaned down and briefly brushed her lips with his. Amelia's eyes widened in surprise, and all at once, sanity came rushing back to him, slamming a door in his face. Just as quickly, Zelgadiss released her and took a _big _step back.

_What the hell was he thinking???_

"Wh… what…?" she began, but she had no idea what she was even going to ask.

"Um… I uh…" he stuttered. He was just as perplexed as she was.

They were suddenly interrupted when Ginger rounded the corner and barked happily up at them. Sure enough, Philionel followed a few moments later.

"Oh, there you are. Is everything okay?" he asked, looking from Amelia to Zelgadiss and back.

Zel took another half a step back and coughed. "Yes, sir. I think so. It really is up to Amelia what she wants to do, but…"

"I'll quit," she conceded, trying not to smile. If Zelgadiss wanted to buy her compliance, he had a great way of doing it. "I don't know how I'll get to school and back, though. Miss Lina's schedule is different from mine, and Miss Filia usually goes to work after her classes."

Phil nodded. "Well, let's go inside and work it all out. It's cold out here, and your dog's already gone potty."

He put his arm around Amelia's shoulders and led her to the house, followed by her puppy. Amelia glanced back at Zelgadiss, who stood there for a moment, staring at the fountain with a puzzled expression on his face. As if he sensed her gaze, he glanced up at her with the barest hint of a smile before following them.

He wiped his face with his hand, silently agonizing over his near-disastrous encounter with Amelia. Well… he wouldn't exactly call it 'disastrous'. The lingering feel of her lips was intoxicating, and the quiet thrill of kissing her, however briefly, made his head spin.

He didn't really know what made him do it. One moment, he was comforting her, the next… well, she was right there in front of him. No one was around. No one would know. Acting on impulse was something he was not used to doing, but when it came to Amelia, a part of him yearned to be spontaneous and romantic.

Zelgadiss Greywords: a romantic???

Even with Eris, he had never tried to woo her or win her over with tender gestures. But there was something about Amelia that made him _want_ to hold her hand or go for long walks along the beach… or to steal a kiss beneath the roses.

Zelgadiss was glad that it was dark outside, so Phil couldn't really see the embarrassment on his face. If Zel's hearing hadn't been so good, he wouldn't have heard the back door open, and he would have been caught red-handed, kissing his client…

They spent the rest of the night discussing their options over a simple dinner, and Zelgadiss made sure Beth's opinions were heard. She was the person who knew the house better than anyone, and he made notes of any possible weakness in their security. He tried his best to concentrate on the task at hand, to work out scheduling conflicts and problems with not only Phil and Amelia, but also with Beth and Jordan. Naga never went anywhere without Bradley or Jennifer, so her safety was pretty secure.

He tried _not_ to blush or drop his fork every time he caught Amelia's eyes as they spoke of her classes and her job. He needed to get a handle on his emotions quick if he was going to keep working on this case. The last thing any of them needed was for him to get pulled because he couldn't control his hormones.

When they finished dinner, talk soon turned to the upcoming ball. Philionel had been invited, as had Amelia, to the Mayor's mansion, since Alfred was the Mayor's assistant. Zelgadiss was saved the embarrassment of asking if he could tag along when Phil asked him if he could drive Amelia there.

He agreed, of course, but he wondered if it was a good idea to go out in such a public arena with so many people, most of them strangers. There would be increased security, with dozens of police officers in place, but that hardly set him at ease. If this detective Artemay had anything to do with what, he was beginning to believe, was a cover-up, then his faith in the police department was starting to wane.

The grandfather clock chimed eight o'clock, and Zelgadiss gathered up his notes and the plastic bag with the letter and placed them in his carry-on. The taxi he called for would be arriving in fifteen minutes. He thanked Beth for dinner and let Phil know that he would continue the discussion about the new security system another time. Beth began cleaning up, and Phil retired to his study. Ginger was busy gnawing on a small green bone in her crate.

Amelia walked Zelgadiss to the foyer where he picked up his suitcase. She hoped to find out a little more about where their relationship stood. He never asked her to be his girlfriend, but did anyone even do that anymore? She didn't think Lina or Gourry officially said 'Do you want to go steady with me?' and she hardly expected Zelgadiss to, either. But where did that leave them?

The New Year's kiss could have easily been a nice little 'Happy New Year' celebration. Heck, thousands of people kissed on New Year's. But the kiss in the garden, however brief, was definitely not in any kind of context. And she could well understand Zelgadiss not wanting to get caught kissing her by her father. Zelgadiss was a private person, so, if he wanted to keep it quiet, then she wouldn't mind.

Before she got a chance to mention it, though, he put his hand on the doorknob, and her heart sank a little. But then he released it to turn and glance behind her.

"Uh… Amelia," he whispered, even though no one was close enough to hear. "About what happened earlier… I… I was out of line. It won't happen again."

"Oh." She sounded disappointed. To cover it up, she gave him a quick smile. "Oh! Hey, I almost forgot your Christmas present!"

She stepped over to the Christmas tree, which was still gracing the Seyruun residence, and pulled a gold envelope from its branches. She did a little hop-skip back to him and presented it to him with a flourish. He couldn't help but grin at her youthful enthusiasm.

"Can I open it now?" he asked as he set down his luggage and accepted the envelope.

"Sure, Mister Zelgadiss. Just… well, it's not anything fancy like the gifts you gave me, but I was hoping you'd like it."

"I'm sure it's… wow."

Inside the envelope were two box seat tickets to _The Phantom of the Opera_.

"Amelia, these are for opening night. How were you able to get them?"

She smiled and winked. "That's a secret!"

"This… this is great," he sighed, still in amazement at how she was able to get tickets for opening night, much less _box seats_, when they had been sold out for over a month. He had once mentioned in passing that he wanted to see it when it returned to town, but he never thought that she would have remembered it. Opening night was in three weeks, the weekend before the Mayoral ball.

"It looks like your weekends will be busy then, even without work," he said with a smile as he placed the tickets securely in his carry-on.

"So… you want to go with _me_?" she asked timidly, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"Well, of course," he said, but he was too happy to want to try to take it back. Wanting to give her a 'purely platonic' hug (that was quickly becoming his mantra), he began to lean forward, but just then, a taxi pulled up in front of the house and honked. Trying to hide his relief, Zelgadiss picked up his luggage and opened the door. "Hey, I'll pick you up tomorrow at seven, right?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then," she said brightly as he stepped outside. At least she would get to see him almost every day from now on.

She was about to step back inside when a leaf fell on her head. They both looked up. Amelia's face turned red as she realized that the mistletoe still hung above the door. Zelgadiss reached over and removed the leaf from her hair.

"Does it still apply if it's after Christmas?" she asked.

"I have no idea," he said, glancing back at the waiting cab, silently willing the driver to honk at him to hurry.

Before he could escape, though, Amelia placed her hand on his arm and gently pulled him closer. She had meant to kiss him on the cheek, but when he turned to her in surprise, she ended up kissing him awkwardly on the lips. When she released him, they were both blushing scarlet.

"Okay, I… I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he stammered. She gave him a little wave and a smile, and he turned to his waiting cab, silently agonizing over his dumb luck.

If anyone asked, he could blame the mistletoe.

* * *

If she slept four hours, she would have been lucky.

Amelia, though usually bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning, found herself dragging, even though she had gone to bed at ten the previous night. 'Gone to bed', yes, but not 'gone to sleep.'

She had stayed awake long after her father had turned off his light, indicating that he was turning in for the night. Her mind raced with all the events of the day, both good and bad, and on top of it all, her body ached with _really_ bad cramps. Her period was usually merely just an inconvenience, but the amount of stress she had been under recently somehow made it worse this time. No wonder her emotions were all over the place.

And once she had finally drifted off to sleep, her unconscious mind refused to let her forget that Zelgadiss had kissed her _first_, however brief it was. She must have woken up at least five times during the night, and each time, it took her several minutes to fall asleep again.

When it was time to wake up and get ready for school, she felt like a zombie, even after her shower. Beth looked worried when Amelia only asked for toast and jam and a glass of orange juice. Her father was concerned that his daughter was anxious over this new development, and she was hard pressed to convince him that she was merely tired.

So when Zelgadiss arrived promptly at seven, under a steel grey sky, she tried to make a show of being her normal perky self, but when she didn't try to engage him in conversation after several minutes, he couldn't help but notice.

"Are you worried about what happened?" he asked, glancing sideways at her when they came to a stop at the light.

Not knowing exactly what event he was referring to, she decided to be vague. It was tough to think clearly. "There's nothing I can do about it right now," she replied, yawning once again.

"Well, I went to the station late last night to turn in my report and the evidence. My captain just called me to let me know that I can continue to work on the case."

"Were they going to give it to someone else?" she asked, perhaps a little too quickly.

"No, but it had been closed when Dilgear died," he said, frowning. "I requested it to be re-opened, but I needed more evidence than just a hunch."

"Guess we got that last night," she said solemnly. Okay. So maybe it was bothering her a little more than she thought. She sighed. "Mister Zelgadiss, you don't really think someone wants to hurt us, do you?"

He was silent for a moment before answering. "I don't want to mislead you by saying 'no.' I have no idea, Amelia. Someone wanted something enough to put both me and Jordan in the hospital, and we're not even family. It seems that someone is taking a lot of care in sending us those cryptic warnings, but is also not afraid to do something overt, too. Something just doesn't fit…"

The rest of the ride was quiet, both, for once, content to keep their thoughts to themselves.

"My last class gets out at noon," Amelia told Zelgadiss as she stepped out of his car. She leaned down to continue talking with him. "You can pick me up here at a quarter after. And I don't have work today, but I can probably run in to give my notice."

He nodded, and she stepped back and shut his door. Stepping up onto the sidewalk as he drove away, Amelia trudged on to her first class, hoping to shake the gloom that had settled on her spirits.

By the time noon rolled around, she was almost back to her normal self. Seeing her classmates after the winter break helped to cheer her as she caught up with her friends, discussing what they did for the holidays. Tohru spent a quiet Christmas at home with her housemates, and Uo and Hana spent New Year's Eve with her when the men of the household took off to some family function. Cleao went home to spend time with her mother and sister, and apparently, Orphen skulked about with Majic the whole time she was gone.

It felt good to fall back into a routine when the rest of her life was up in the air. Structure had always helped to calm her down when the stresses of the unknown seemed to plague her. Talking with her friends after class, Amelia almost forgot that Zelgadiss was going to pick her up.

"Oh, no! I've got to go!"

Lina stopped her before she could get very far. "Why? I thought you didn't work today."

Amelia pulled her aside when she saw that no one was paying them any attention.

"I'll tell you everything later," she said quietly. "Mister Zelgadiss is picking me up in five minutes."

Lina's brow rose in interest, and she smirked. "Reeeally?"

Amelia shook her head, though. "It's not like that, okay? I'll call you later."

"Is everything okay?" she asked, sensing that whatever it was wasn't good. When Amelia didn't answer right away, Lina placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "How about I come over after work? I'm only working until eight tonight anyway."

"Thank you, Miss Lina." Amelia gave her friend a quick hug and waved goodbye to the rest of her friends. She didn't know if she wasn't supposed to, but she was going to make sure Lina knew what was going on with her family problems. After everything that had happened, she needed her best friend more than ever.

Zelgadiss picked her up exactly at a quarter past noon, and they began the drive back home. Since she felt much better than she had that morning, she happily agreed when he asked if she wanted to stop for lunch at Johnny Pitt's.

"So, you seem to be in a better mood than you were this morning," he commented after they had placed their orders.

"I'm trying not to worry about things too much," she said, taking a sip of her soda.

It was tough, but she was also trying not to think about the lack of definition of their relationship. Couple; close friends; kissing pals? What did it matter? He was acting as if nothing had changed between them, so she would too.

"Good," he said a bit excitedly. He pulled out a paper from his pocket and unfolded it, smoothing it out on the table. "I've got the King's schedule here. We can pick out which game we can go to."

Her interest piqued, Amelia leaned forward to take a look. Zelgadiss pointed to a purple square.

"Their next game is against the Zephilia Flyers, but that might be sold out already. So is the game with the Wolfpack Islanders…" he was saying.

Amelia piped in. "How about the… Xoana Thrashers?"

Zelgadiss shook his head. "No. That's an away game. Same with the Radelia Ray Wings and the Sairaag Sabres. But here's a game with the Kataart Coyotes and one with the Atlas Stars. What do you think?"

"How about the Stars? I think I'd be able to go to that game."

He smiled and circled the box. "Cool. Games against the Stars are always good."

Amelia looked up at him, a perplexed look on her face. "What's a 'Ray Wing'?"

He thought for a moment before he answered, "You know what? I really don't know. I have no clue."

She laughed, and he went on to give her a short description of each of the teams and how the Kings typically fared against them. When their food arrived, they began to eat, but Amelia was like a sponge, trying to soak up as much information about hockey that she could. Between bites, Zelgadiss tried to continue his explanations.

"Now, obviously, the Kings are named after the Saillune kings of old. Of course, many of the other cities had kings, too, but Saillune's kings were considered perhaps the most successful line for centuries…"

Amelia snickered while she was drinking her soda, and she began coughing when the liquid went down the wrong pipe. Zelgadiss frowned.

"What? Did I say something funny?"

When her coughing subsided, she shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mister Zelgadiss. It wasn't that, I swear."

"Then what was it?" He sounded a little irritated, as if he was missing the joke. Amelia tried not to laugh.

"You sounded like a history teacher."

"I thought you wanted to learn about the teams, Amelia," he huffed, turning his attention to his sandwich.

"Well, I do. But I already know my _own_ history, silly."

"Your 'own'? What are you talking about?"

Amelia looked at him, wondering at the fact that he had absolutely no idea what she was referring to. "Wow. You really _don't_ know."

"What???" he nearly demanded as he put his sandwich back down in its basket.

Amelia cleared her throat and closed her eyes, trying her best to recall the exact words.

"Saillune's last king in a long line of beloved rulers, Danius the fifth, decided to give up his crown in favor of a more democratic society. The people were thankful, but they still wanted him to have a part in their government. It took several years to work out a system that would enable the people to express their opinions and vote for representatives who would determine the laws and rules that the people of Saillune would live by. In that time, Danius oversaw the transition with the people's consent, and he would become not only the last king, but also the first elected mayor.

"In an effort to distance himself from the crown, and heighten the people's confidence in their new government, he decided to alter his surname. So, the name pronounced 'sie-oon' (or, technically 'sie-roon' since the double 'l' was pronounced with an 'r'-sound six hundred years ago) was changed to the lesser known pronunciation of '_say_-roon', the way it's been for twenty-five generations since."

She opened her eyes and smiled happily at Zelgadiss, who was staring agape at her. Finally, after several moments, he spoke.

"You… then that means… you…"

She reached across the table and touched his chin. "You'll catch flies."

He closed his mouth, but opened it again. "Amelia. You're like… a princess, or something."

She laughed. "Hardly that. No. My family has always served the community in one way or the other. It's a belief that's been handed down for centuries. That's why Daddy's a judge and Alfred's the Mayor's assistant."

"But they're your only family here? I'd figure there would be more Seyruun's scattered all over."

"Well, that's where the darker side of my family comes in. A lot of relatives weren't happy with Danius' decision, and many personal and public civil wars broke out as a result. Danius remained, primarily because he had the backing of the general populace, but as the centuries passed, more fighting erupted between family members until there was just a single line left. It wasn't until my great-great-great-grandmother's generation that the struggles had ceased."

"Why was that?"

"She was the very last one who could pass down the family name, but she was a woman. Her husband decided that he would give up his own surname and take on hers. She agreed, but only on the condition that they would have just one child so there would be no more fighting. They did, and that child only had one child and so on. My grandfather was the one who broke the rules and had three kids, but by that point, it didn't really matter anymore. The government had been stable for hundreds of years. Saillune didn't really need or remember us anymore. Not that any of us care, either," she added with a smirk.

Zelgadiss just stared at her, as if seeing her for the first time. She began to redden under the scrutiny, but then he grinned.

"So, does that mean I can call you 'princess' too?"

"Shut up!" she laughed, and threw her wadded up napkin at him.

He chuckled as he raised his hand for the waitress. When she finally came over, he handed her a couple of bills and told her to keep the rest. They gathered their things and returned to the car.

"Wow. That's really interesting, Amelia," Zelgadiss said as they drove away. "I'm surprised Naga didn't ever mention it in all the years I've known her. _She_ seems the type to flaunt her heritage all over the place."

"Well, she kind of does," Amelia said, fixing her backpack on the floor of the car so that she could sit more comfortably. "She really only half-listened whenever Daddy would tell us about our history. If she came away with anything, it was the white serpent on our family crest."

"Oh. So _that's_ where that came from." He shook his head in disbelief.

The first raindrops began to fall just then, spattering the windshield, and Amelia frowned. "I hope Miss Lina remembered to pack her umbrella. The news this morning said that it would rain today, so I made sure I had mine. She's going to be pissed if she gets drenched."

"I'm sure she'll live," he muttered, glancing up at the sky. At a stop light, he turned to Amelia. "Hey, I need to stop by at my physical therapist's office to fit my appointments around your schedule. Can you write down when you need me to drop you off and pick you up from school?"

"Oh, sure." Amelia dug into her backpack and removed her notebook and a pen. She neatly wrote down her school schedule as well as her work schedule for the next two weeks. She handed him the paper. "I made a note that after two weeks, it will just be my school schedule."

They arrived at the back side of South High, and Zelgadiss parked out on the street. He scribbled something on the paper that Amelia had given him, and then folded and put it away in his jacket pocket.

"School's still in session, so I'm not sure if Doctor Umeda's even available," he told her as he reached into the back seat for his umbrella. "I guess if he's not, I can just drop this off. I'll be right back, okay?"

Amelia nodded, and Zelgadiss stepped out of the car and opened his umbrella. Through the rain-streaked window, she watched as he hopped onto the sidewalk and walked up to the door of Umeda's office. He knocked on the door, and before long, the door opened and a pretty young woman met him. They spoke for a bit before Zelgadiss handed her the schedule, but to Amelia's shock, he then leaned down and…

Did he just _kiss_ her on the cheek???

Amelia tore her eyes away from the scene and fixed her eyes on her backpack's zipper pulls. She silently willed her heart to start beating again, as she fought to calm down. Of course, that didn't work.

What the hell was going on? Did he bring her here just so she could see that he was already involved with someone? Did their kisses not mean much after all? Did _she_ not mean anything to him?

Well, she supposed she had it coming. She had kissed Xelloss and Val both, and she was never dating either of them, so why should it be any different with Zelgadiss? So then, a kiss _was_ just a kiss. She felt like an absolute fool.

Before long, Zelgadiss returned and opened the door to the car. He jumped in, placing his wet umbrella in the back seat, and then started the car and pulled away from the curb. Luckily, he didn't notice Amelia's distress.

"Yeah, Doctor Umeda was busy, so I just dropped off your schedule."

"Who was that girl?" She couldn't help herself from asking.

"Oh. That was Miwan, his assistant. Remember the girl we helped out at the Citadel?" he answered, completely oblivious to the fact that he was causing her discomfort.

"Oh, yeah." Apparently, the chemistry between them that Amelia had noticed at her party was still there.

"She pressed charges, and those guys ended up doing some time."

"That's good," she said absentmindedly. "So, you'll be able to wait for me while I give my notice?" she asked, trying to shift the conversation away from the other woman.

"Yeah. If you don't mind, I'll just wait in the car."

"Cool."

It took all of five minutes for Amelia to run into the store, find Jack, and let him know that she was quitting. Amidst a dozen employees protesting, Amelia made her apologies and explained that she would talk with them more the next day. During her jog back to the car, she forced her mind to remember that she and Zelgadiss were just friends.

Just friends.

Just friends…

"So, how did it go?" Zelgadiss asked as Amelia gazed out the window. They were already on their way back to her house.

"It's a little sad," she said, continuing to look out at the traffic flowing by. "I really enjoyed working there."

"Well, you can always go back once this thing boils over."

She looked at him. "What if it's never over?"

"It will be… soon. I'll make sure of that," he vowed.

She didn't know if she could be as optimistic as him. She usually tried to see the bright side of every situation, no matter how bad, but when she got in a bad mood, it wasn't so easy. She didn't ever think she'd be glad to leave his presence, but when he pulled up to her house, she all but flew out of his car.

"I'll pick you up at eight tomorrow," he said before she closed the door.

She waved at him and trudged up to her house, not caring that the rain was really coming down and that she hadn't opened her umbrella. She didn't even look back when she opened the front door to retreat into her house.

Beth was the only one home, and after taking off her wet coat and hanging it up to dry, Amelia went up to her room to try to do her homework and shake from her mind the rain-streaked vision of Zelgadiss giving that girl a kiss…

Before long, Beth was calling her down for dinner, and all of Amelia's homework was completed and put away. She had been staring at the picture she had of her and Zelgadiss at the car show. It seemed as if it were years ago, instead of just a little over five months. Wearily, she got up and went down for dinner.

"Where's Daddy?" Amelia asked Beth as she spooned some mashed potatoes on her plate. She handed the bowl to Jordan.

"He said that he's working late again tonight," Beth answered, passing the steamed vegetables to Amelia.

"He's been working late a lot lately," Amelia mentioned. "Did he happen to say what he's working on?"

Beth tutted at her. "You know that your father can't discuss his cases with anyone."

Amelia sighed. "Oh well. It's none of my business anyway."

She was just about to take a bite when the phone rang. Hopping up, she picked up the phone and answered, "Hello?"

"_Hi, Miss Amelia?_"

"Oh. Hi, Miss Filia. What's up?"

"_I'm not disturbing you, am I?_"

"I was just about to eat dinner, but it can wait. What did you need?"

Filia paused before answering. "_Well, I was just filing some of the charts here, and I happened to notice… I know it's really not my place to say, but…_"

"What?" Amelia was beginning to become alarmed.

Her voice must have conveyed her worry, because Filia assured her, "_Oh, it's nothing too bad, Miss Amelia. It's just… your ex-boyfriend's name is 'Chad Denton,' right?_"

That really _did_ alarm her.

"Yeah, his name's Chad. Is he okay? He's not hurt, is he?"

"_No, he's okay. In fact, he just went home a few days ago. He was in intensive care for about a week. I can't really say what he was in for, but I thought you might want to know._"

"It wasn't bad, was it?"

"_No. He's well enough to have gone home. Look, I think I might have said too much already…_"

"Oh, that's okay, Miss Filia. I don't want to get you in trouble. I'll talk to him soon. Thanks."

Amelia hung up the phone, confusing emotions spinning around in her gut. She and Chad had only dated for four months, and they had gotten along really well before he started pressuring her to go farther than she was ready for. She was completely over him, and had even made peace with him, but hearing that he had been hurt made her want to rush to see with her own eyes if he was okay.

So what about Zelgadiss? What would he think if he knew that she wanted to see her ex-boyfriend?

"Is everything okay?" Jordan asked, staring at her.

"Oh." Amelia returned to her seat and picked up her fork. "Yeah. I just found out that Chad was in the hospital. I was thinking that I might go check up on him to make sure he's okay."

"Do you want us to drive you, dear?" Beth asked.

Amelia shook her head. "No. Miss Lina should be coming over a little later on. I'll just ask her to drive me."

Jordan eyed her warily for the remainder of dinner, and once she was finished with her food, Amelia quickly retreated to her room with Ginger to escape the accusing stare. She knew what he was thinking. Despite the emailed apology, Jordan disliked Chad with a vengeance, having had to endure his verbal taunts at school, and he didn't want her to be involved with him once again, however innocent.

Lina's arrival soon put her mind at ease. After eating dinner (again) at Beth's insistence, Lina was all ears when Amelia told her all about the creepy note she had just received, as well as all the stuff that had happened between her and Zelgadiss and between Zelgadiss and that other girl. Amelia hardly took a breath, wanting to get all the mixed up emotions and worries off her chest. She even told her about what Filia told her about Chad.

"That creep? Why do you even care?" she asked as she lay on Amelia's bed, idly playing with the tassels on the bedspread. Ginger pawed at her fingers and growled.

"Because he's had a lot happen to him already. I think Karma's kicked him enough." Amelia hugged one of her big teddy bears to her chest.

"Well, if Karma didn't, _I_ probably would have," Lina commented.

Amelia wondered if she should even ask her friend for a ride….

"But if you're worried about him," Lina continued, "then I guess I've just got to accept that, huh? So, you need a ride to see him since Zel doesn't want you going anywhere by yourself? (Geez, he's treating you like a little kid.)"

As an answer, Amelia launched herself at Lina and wrapped her in a big hug. Ginger began barking at them, standing up at the edge of the bed. Amelia released her friend and returned to the floor to play with her puppy.

"Thank you, Miss Lina. I'm sorry to dump on you like this."

"Hey, I just don't want you passing out from worry again. And I can't stand when you're all stressed out. You make me want to strangle _you_ sometimes," Lina said with a smirk. She patted Amelia's head the same way Amelia was patting Ginger's. It was difficult not to smile at that. "And if Zel's all ga-ga over some other chick, then _he's_ the stupid one."

Lina looked away and growled, and Amelia could only imagine what was going through her mind. Whatever it was didn't sound too good for Zel.

"Look. You're pretty. You're single. And who's to say that there's not some great guy out there who appreciates you and isn't afraid to tell you how he feels? Lots of fish in the sea, Amelia." Lina winked at her.

Amelia tried to feel better about it, but she couldn't help but be disappointed. "I just wish you and I had the same schedule," she muttered. "Then I wouldn't have to hitch a ride with him all the time."

"Well, avoiding him isn't going to help things. _I_ think you should see if you could work your way into one of his therapy sessions and see what this girl's all about. From what you said, he kissed her on the cheek, right? _You've_ kissed him more than once on the _lips_, remember?"

Despite having told her friend about it just minutes before, Amelia still blushed. "Did he ever say anything to you about how he feels about me?" she couldn't help but wonder.

Lina paused before answering. "Never directly. I know he cares about you, but he's never come out and said anything. I know that he doesn't want to hurt you."

"Yeah, and I care about Val, and I don't want to hurt Val, but I don't like him in _that_ way anymore, you know?"

Lina nodded, then she slapped Amelia's leg. "Hey, let's go see this prick… I mean this guy before it gets too late and everyone freaks out because you're not home."

Amelia smirked and slapped her cheeks, hoping to snap herself out of her funk. That's when Ginger began to sniff the carpet in a rather questionable manner, and the girls rushed the puppy downstairs before it relieved itself all over the new carpet.

* * *

Amelia pushed the doorbell as she and Lina huddled beneath the umbrella. The rain was really pouring down, and Amelia was glad that Lina had gotten the passenger seat belt in her truck fixed before the holidays. The drive down the back side of the hill was difficult to navigate in normal weather; with foul weather and landslides, it could be quite dangerous.

Thankfully, Lina decided to take it slowly, and they arrived at the apartment unscathed. But standing out in the rain was doing nothing for the older girl's temper. They heard footsteps approach, and Amelia caught Lina's hand before she had a chance to bang her fist on the door.

A muffled, "What the…?" preceded the door opening.

"Amelia? What the heck are you doing here?" Chad asked, looking at her in surprise.

"Getting wet," Lina answered. "Can we come in?"

He had hardly nodded his head before Lina pushed past him and stepped into the apartment, shaking the rain from her jacket. Amelia shrugged her shoulders and stepped in, folding her umbrella and setting it next to the door.

"Hi, Chad. I'm sorry to come unannounced," she said as he took their coats.

Amelia noticed that his right arm was in a cast, and that he had stitches along his jaw.

"I… I would have called, but I realized that I didn't have your number."

"Naw, don't worry about it. So, what brings you and Lina here on a night like this?" He motioned for them to sit, and they took the couch while he eased himself into his dad's recliner. "I'd offer you something to drink or eat, but you can see that the maid's on vacation," he said sarcastically, indicating the Chinese food box-strewn kitchen and the sink, piled up with dozens of cups and plates.

"We're fine, thank you… I… well, I…" Amelia began nervously.

Lina continued for her when it was clear that she didn't know where to begin. "She heard from a friend that you were in the hospital, and she was worried about you."

He laughed. "I'm surprised anyone even knew that happened."

"I'm sorry," Amelia said. "I don't mean to pry, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, I'm doing better. Mom finally went to Wolfpack Island a couple of days ago to be with Dad. Having her hover over me for four days was annoying."

"And not being able to see the sink isn't?" Lina grumbled.

"Your dad's on the Island?" Amelia asked to divert the attention from the messy kitchen.

"Oh, yeah. One of his old clients is building a resort on the Island and he asked Dad if he would be in charge of plumbing the building. He stays there for the week and usually comes home on weekends. He also got Mom a job with the catering company there. It's only short term, but at least it's something big."

Amelia smiled widely. "I'm glad things are starting to look up." Then her smile vanished. "Well, for your parents, I mean. So… so do you mind if I ask…?"

He shook his head. "The day after Christmas, I got mugged at the mall, just a couple of hours after I left you at the bookstore, Amelia."

She gasped in shock.

Before Amelia could say anything, however, Lina wondered, "Someone mugged you, and you got put in the hospital? What? Did you put up a fight?"

"No. Are you kidding? There were two of them and I didn't know if they had guns or not. I'm not stupid, you know."

"Then why did they…?" Amelia asked, indicating the cast and the stitches and the fading bruises.

"Hell if I know."

"What did they take?" Lina asked, and Amelia could have groaned. Leave it to Lina to want to do an inventory.

Chad answered anyway. "Well, they told me to give them everything I've got, so I gave them my wallet."

"Anything else?" This time, Amelia kicked Lina. "What? I'm just trying to find out what they took!" Lina asked.

"So? That's none of our business," Amelia hissed.

"Hey, I just want to know what kind of person would beat someone up for just a wallet?"

Chad spoke up. "See? My thoughts exactly! I told the police, too, but they didn't think it was that big a deal. I only had ten bucks on me! When I told the muggers that that was all I had, they started kicking the shit out of me for no damn good reason. Broke my arm and bruised my kidneys, those fucking bastards."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Chad," Amelia soothed, placing a comforting hand gently on his cast.

"Yeah, the day you give me back that ring is the same day I get sent to the hospital. Oh, yeah, they took _that_, too."

Lina asked, "What?"

"Oh. Um…" he began.

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Chad was the one who gave me that lapis ring, Miss Lina. I had just given it back to him, and the muggers stole that, too."

Lina turned to her friend. "You gave it _back_ to him? Why? If you didn't want it, why didn't you just give it to me?"

"It wasn't about that. I couldn't keep it, and I didn't want there to be any misunderstandings between us," she finished, glancing at him.

He sighed. "Don't worry. Even without the ring, everything's cool." He gave her a smile.

Lina gagged. "Ugh. It's so sweet here, I feel like I'm about to get a cavity. So, you've seen him, he's alive. Can we go now? I've got to finish my homework."

Amelia shot Lina a look, but knew better than to try to outright tell her that she was lying. Instead, she asked Chad for both his home and cell phone numbers and told him that she would return to help him clean up the kitchen the next day. After much cajoling, he finally gave in, but only when she promised to keep it to washing the dishes. Lina breathed a sigh of relief when they were back in her truck.

"You aren't going to let that guy back into your life, just because Zel's being a prick, are you?" she asked her.

Amelia shook her head and turned to stare out the window.

At least, she didn't think so.

* * *

Zelgadiss was putting on his jacket when his cell phone beeped, indicating that he had received a text message. Curious as to who would message him at seven thirty in the morning, he flipped open his phone and pressed a button. It was from Amelia.

'_I'm at a friend's house this morning. Can you pick me up at…_'

He frowned as he read the address. That was down near the port. Who the heck did Amelia know that she would be there at seven in the morning? Shrugging, he grabbed his wallet, keys, and umbrella and headed out into the rainy January morning.

After picking up a couple of bagels and two coffees, he drove down to the address she had sent him. When he arrived, he was surprised to see that it was an apartment building. He was just about to call her when one of the first floor doors opened, and her familiar silhouette emerged…

…followed by one that belonged to a young man.

Suppressing his initial displeasure at finding out that Amelia was at some guy's house first thing in the morning, he squinted his eyes to try to focus through the rain-warped window. Upon seeing her reach up and give the guy a hug, though, he couldn't help but allow his displeasure to surface and put a scowl on his face.

Who the hell was that? And why the hell was she _here_ instead of safe at home?

By the time Amelia opened the door and slid inside the car, Zelgadiss had gotten a handle of his emotions, but his face must have betrayed a slight annoyance, because Amelia immediately began apologizing.

"I'm so sorry to have you drive out of your way, Mister Zelgadiss," she said, putting her umbrella down on the floor in front of her. "I just didn't know when else I would be able to help my friend. I just found out yesterday that he had been in the hospital, and that his parents aren't there, and his apartment looks like a bomb exploded in the kitchen, so I figured I could help clean things up so that he wouldn't have to live like a pig while his arm's in a cast. I had Daddy drive me there this morning, and he insisted on buying Chad breakfast, too, when he heard that he was alone, and since I remembered that he liked double espresso, I had Daddy order two, one for him and one for me, but I'm not used to that much caffeine, so I'm sorry if I'm babbling…"

"Amelia!" Zelgadiss interrupted with a laugh. After her explanation, he couldn't stay upset with her, but after her non-stop rambling, he couldn't help but smile. Even when she was hyped up on sugar or caffeine, he had never heard her babble on so much. "Geez, I don't think you'll be needing this coffee, then."

She looked down at the console and saw the two coffees and the bag of bagels.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mister Zelgadiss. I should have told you that I already ate when I messaged you. It's just that Miss Lina was over kind of late last night, so I didn't get to sleep on time, and I was tired this morning, so that's why I figured it would be okay if I had that double espresso, but Chad also told me that I was way too hyper for first thing in the morning. I think he might have been glad to see me go, but that's okay, because at least he's okay. Did I tell you that he got mugged the day after Christmas? He was at the mall, and two guys mugged him. They beat him up and put him in the hospital just because he only had ten dollars and that ring that he gave me! Oh, he was the one who gave me that ring for my birthday. I had just given it back to him because, well, he was trying to get me back, but I couldn't accept it. So they beat him up, broke his arm and bruised his kidneys and opened up his face, just because he didn't have enough money. The police will catch those guys, won't they, Mister Zelgadiss? They'd check the mall's surveillance tapes or something, right?"

"Uh…" He didn't know what to say. He wanted to laugh again, but he reined himself in. "I'm not sure, Amelia. Police hardly ever catch muggers, unless the victim can give a fairly accurate description of them."

"Oh. He said that they had the hoods and everything." She stared out the window and then down at the bag. "What kind of bagels did you get?"

"I got you an apple-cinnamon bagel. You like those, right?"

"Yes! I can still have it, right?"

This time, Zelgadiss did chuckle. "Yeah, but I can't, in good conscience, let you have the coffee. I feel sorry for your professors this morning."

Smiling, she took the bagel and began eating. It was good to see that her appetite was back, and now that he understood why she was hugging that guy, it was good to know that he wasn't anything more than a friend… Wait. Wasn't 'Chad' the name of her ex-boyfriend?

His mood suddenly darkened, but he kept trying to reason himself out of it. Even after he dropped Amelia off at school, with the assurance that he would pick her up at two o'clock, he was still trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. She wouldn't romantically involve herself with Chad knowing how Zelgadiss felt about her, would she?

But, then again, did she really know how he felt about her? Zelgadiss silently agonized over this question over then next few days. She never asked to go to the apartment, or asked to be picked up from the apartment, so he felt fairly certain that her interest in her old flame had been purely platonic. And whenever he picked her up or dropped her off, they acted as they always had, so he felt that things between them were good.

But did he _want_ her to know how he felt about her?

The question was put to the test when he picked her up from school a few days later. She mentioned that she didn't need to go into work that day (Jack had scheduled too many clerks, and Amelia needed the rest), but he still had a therapy appointment scheduled.

"I can wait for you, Mister Zelgadiss. That is, if it's okay with your doctor," she said as he checked his watch. He had only five minutes to get to the school.

"I'll ask him," he said, hoping Doctor Umeda wouldn't care.

They arrived at the office, and Zelgadiss and Amelia both stepped out in the rain. Huddled under their umbrellas, they waited outside, listening to the rain drumming loudly on the aluminum awning over the door. Zelgadiss knocked again after a few moments.

Finally, the door opened, and Miwan opened it, greeting them both with a smile.

"The doctor's still with a student," she said, but her soft voice was difficult to hear over the din the rain was making. Amelia leaned forward to hear what she was saying.

"Can we still wait inside?" he asked loudly, leaning down as well.

"Yes, but you'll both need to wait right here," she said, indicating the couch just inside the door.

He glanced over to Amelia who just shrugged. Apparently, she hadn't heard what Miwan had said. Nodding his head, he indicated for her to go inside, and then followed, folding his umbrella. It was not much warmer inside the office, but at least they were out of the rain. Zelgadiss didn't mind the rain so much, but his companion didn't seem to like being wet. She sat down on the couch while Zelgadiss spoke with Miwan.

"My friend needs to wait for me. Would it be okay if she stayed?"

"Oh, of course she may," Miwan said with a smile, patting him on the arm. Despite his feelings for the other girl, he still found himself blushing. "I'll call you when Doctor Umeda's ready."

He smiled awkwardly and then placed his wet umbrella beside Amelia's before sitting down beside her.

"She's very pretty," Amelia said suddenly, staring over at Miwan, who was putting away a heating pad.

"Yes, she is," he said before he could stop himself. He looked at Amelia and said, quite sincerely, "But not as pretty as you."

Her face reddened, and she glanced at him sideways. He wondered if he had said too much. It was only the truth, but he wondered if he should have even said it. Before he had a chance to say anything more, Doctor Umeda himself came to fetch Zelgadiss. When he saw Amelia, however, his eyebrow rose in interest.

"I'm ready for you now, Zelgadiss, but can you introduce me to your friend?"

Glaring daggers at the doctor, he said, "This is Amelia Seyruun. Amelia, this is Doctor Umeda, my physical therapist."

Amelia stood up, and he shook her hand. "Quite pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Doctor Umeda." She smiled brightly at him.

"So, are you here to learn how to take care of your friend?"

"I beg your pardon?" Zel interjected.

"I was going to tell you today. You won't need my services any more since you're not returning to S.W.A.T., so it doesn't make sense for you to keep you coming back when you can do most of the exercises at home. You will need someone, however, to continue to help you with some of the drills. I was going to suggest Miwan, but perhaps your lady friend would be interested instead?"

"Well, I don't think I'm qualified…" Amelia began, but Miwan interrupted.

"You don't need to be qualified to help out your friend. Unless, that is, you don't want her to?" she asked Zelgadiss.

"No, she's okay, but…"

"But, if you don't mind paying me," Umeda continued as if no one had even spoken, "I don't mind the extra money."

"No, Amelia will be fine. If it's okay with you," he asked her.

Her face set with determination, she nodded and clutched her fist to her chest. "Just tell me what you need me to do!" she said with such enthusiasm that Umeda smirked.

"Good. Then, both of you follow me."

Zelgadiss couldn't help but feel self-conscious as he went through his workouts with Amelia watching him and talking to Miwan quietly at the same time. She was taking notes while the older girl was talking, and at one point, Amelia must have heard something interesting, because she was suddenly smiling widely, clearly very happy about _something_.

"Now, if she's going to be a distraction, then I can't let her help you," Umeda whispered.

Zelgadiss realized that he had been staring, and he completed his pushup.

"I just hadn't seen her smile like that for the past few days," he said, continuing his count at forty. "You don't know how weird it's been."

"So, I see you've made up with her?" he asked idly.

"Yeah. I actually took your advice and began with an apology…" Zelgadiss began, and then abruptly stopped.

Umeda smirked knowingly. "I thought so. Maybe I _should_ have been a psychiatrist. Then I could charge for all of this," he said to himself.

Zelgadiss turned over and sat up. "Hey, nothing's going on, okay?" he whispered intently.

"Hmph. Not yet, you mean?" Zelgadiss must have looked as if he would bust a vein, because the doctor backed off. "Don't worry. That's still doctor-client confidentiality."

Since Zelgadiss stopped, the girls approached and Amelia looked down at her clipboard.

"Mister Zelgadiss, it says on this chart that you did a hundred pushups yesterday. I only counted forty two. You've got at least fifty eight more to do," she said sternly.

He fought the urge to smirk as he answered, "Yes, Ma'am!" and dropped to give her the requested fifty eight (and twenty five more, just to be sure).

When it came time for the chiropractics, Doctor Umeda instructed them that Zelgadiss should only visit a licensed chiropractor; however he _did_ say that Amelia would be able to give Zel the basic massages and apply the heat packs as usual. Zelgadiss tried not to freak out when Amelia was told to come around the divider after he had stripped down to his underwear and the doctor had covered him with a towel as he lay face-down on the massage table.

He felt like a lab rat as the doctor explained to Amelia how to apply the heat packs and for how long, and the amount of pressure to use as she worked the muscles in his neck and back, his legs and arms. Umeda explained how to massage the areas around his wounds, and how to lightly massage the scar tissue without causing undue pain. Zel was glad that he normally got red whenever the heat packs were used, because his face was absolutely burning. Amelia seemed to be an eager student, and that didn't help his wandering thoughts.

"Thank you, Amelia. You can go now while I speak with Zelgadiss."

When she had left, Zelgadiss sat up and pulled the towel onto his lap.

"Are you sure you'll be okay with this?" Umeda asked him as he made some notes on his chart. "She seems to have a certain effect on you."

"Well, it's either her or Miwan, right? I think I'd be more comfortable with a girl I know than one I don't," he answered, jumping down from the table and picking up his pants.

Umeda looked up sharply at him. He coughed into his hand. "Well, I suppose so. Since it looks like this will be your last visit, I need you to fill out some more paperwork. Miwan has them for you. You can schedule a follow-up visit if you'd like, but you're recovering well, so it's not required."

Zelgadiss pulled on his shirt and offered the doctor his hand.

"I'd like to thank you, Doctor. You've helped me more than you should have, and I really do appreciate it. If you speak with Doctor Sohma again, give him my regards."

The two men shook hands and then amicably parted company. Zelgadiss returned to the waiting area while Umeda returned to his office.

Amelia was still chatting with Miwan, and while Zelgadiss sat filling out the final paperwork, his eyes kept straying to Amelia's happy face. He was glad that she had found another friend.

"I see you and Miwan got along pretty well," he told her as they were driving back to her house.

"Yeah. I didn't know there was so much to learn about physical therapy. It was neat to find all that stuff out. He gave me some pamphlets and some notes to help me out."

"You know you don't have to…"

"I know, but I want to. Besides, Miwan is going to be busy with grad school this year, so I wouldn't want to inconvenience him…"

"Him???" Zelgadiss fought to keep the surprise from his voice, but he still swerved into the next lane as he glanced incredulously at Amelia. Someone honked at him, and he straightened his car.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Amelia asked, with the barest hint of a smirk. "Miwan is a guy. He went to South when he was in high school. They didn't seem to care that he's a transvestite, so he was able to get a job with Doctor Umeda."

"She's a… a 'he'?"

"It's okay, Mister Zelgadiss. I thought so, too. But he told me earlier when I asked where he went to school." Smiling, she added quietly to herself, "He also said that he couldn't hear you when you dropped off my schedule, and that was why you _leaned_."

Zelgadiss didn't hear what she muttered, but at the moment he didn't care. Well, the thought that he was mildly attracted to… him… didn't bother him as much as he thought. Although Miwan sort of looked like Sylphiel… he… acted very much like Amelia would if she were stuck in a cage. And now, Amelia was clearly happy to have found out that 'she' was really a 'he'. So then did that mean that she had been jealous?

This time, it was Zelgadiss' turn to smile widely, and when Amelia asked him what was so funny, he just shook his head. Things seemed to have returned to normal between them, and for now, that was all he could hope for. He would just have to learn to be content with that for a while longer.

* * *

"It isn't working."

"I never expected it to go on this long."

"What should we do now?"

"The only thing we can do. We need _her_. She's the key, and no one knows it yet."

"Except us."

"Perhaps that's a good thing."

"You know that _he_ won't leave her vulnerable."

"Yes, but there are ways around him."

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry it took so long in getting out the new chapter. I think at this pace I'll probably be done sometime before 2010… Just kidding. I'm working hard on the next chapter, but I don't have a timeframe yet. I'm hoping it will be soon…

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed. You guys make it worthwhile for me. Also, thanks to jesphoenix and tamatama for kicking me in the butt to get the next one out. _Hugs_ to you all!

Please click the button and review!


	35. Is There Something I Should Know?

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 35**

_**Is There Something I Should Know?**_

Amelia was very nervous the first time Zelgadiss brought her to his place to kill the four hours between school and work. Normally, she would just spend her time doing homework, or watching TV or playing video games with him, but this time, she had another job that was given to her by his doctor, and she wasn't sure how to approach asking him about when he needed to work out.

Deciding that she may as well get her homework out of the way first, she spent an hour trying to decipher her notes and complete the short essay that her professor had assigned to them. Before long, she was done, and again, she nervously sat at the dining room table wondering how she should broach the subject while Zelgadiss was watching TV. Well, she wasn't going to get anywhere by just sitting around…

"So, did you want to do your exercises, Mister Zelgadiss?" she asked, joining him on the couch.

It appeared as if he didn't hear her, but she knew very well that he had. He remained silent, just watching the television, and then after a moment, he said, "There's not enough time. I'll work out later."

She frowned. "That's not what Doctor Umeda said. You need to work out every other day. You even did that while you were up in Aspen."

"I exercised yesterday," he said, but she frowned.

"It was raining yesterday. Where did you work out? I didn't see a bill for a gym membership come in when I was checking on your house while you were in the hospital. And none of your furniture has been moved. I can see that you haven't vacuumed in a while."

"Geez. Who's the detective here? And you just had to point out my poor housekeeping, didn't you?" he added with a smirk.

"Don't change the subject, Mister Zelgadiss."

"Look, I don't need to keep up with the stringent routine since I'm not going to be in S.W.A.T. anymore. I think I can leave off a day or two."

She stood and towered over him. "That's not the Zelgadiss I know!" she thundered. "Now, you can't get soft and lazy! Let the sun in and work out like you're supposed to!" She pulled back the curtains and let in the hazy sunshine. "Come on, I'll even pace you. Let's get going!" Amelia shot her fist into the air.

Zelgadiss laughed. "Okay, okay. I guess I have no choice then?"

Placing her hands on her hips, she shook her head. "Nope!"

"Fine, fine." He turned off the TV and stood. "But if you're going to work out with me, then you'll need to change. I think I've still got some of your things here…"

He rummaged around in the guest bedroom and found a bag with her gi, a change of clothes, and her towel and toiletries. When he handed it to her, she smiled and retreated to the bathroom to change. She completely forgot that she had left all this stuff here. He also disappeared into his bedroom to change. When they both emerged, clad in sweats and t-shirts, Amelia helped Zelgadiss rearrange the furniture in the living room before pulling out one of his workout mats from the garage and setting it up inside since it was still raining.

"Okay, now do you have my workout chart?" he asked when they were finished, almost figuring that there was no way she would have…

"Yes, I've got it right here," she said, digging into her backpack. She pulled out a clipboard with his chart and smiled at him.

"Oh, okay," he said, sounding a little disappointed. "Well, I guess we can start with the stretches."

"Oh, but I don't need…" she began, waving her hands in front of her.

"Now, you said you'll pace me, so you need to pace me, Miss Sunshine," he stated, poking her on her forehead. "Come on. I'll show you how."

He stood on the mat and beckoned her to join him there. And, just as he had taught her muay tuay, he showed her the simple yoga stretches that he needed to do. With the more complicated positions, he had to physically help her turn her body or move her legs or arms, and she tried to keep herself from blushing whenever he touched her. She caught on quickly, though, and soon enough she was helping him to count out the time as they stretched.

When it came time for him to do his actual workout, Amelia retreated to the sidelines, picked up her clipboard and began making tallies and informing him what he needed to do next. He was able to complete the reps for each exercise, and before he knew it, she was pushing him to do more. Just five more pushups, just five more sit ups… Finally, he rolled over onto his back on the mat, breathing heavily, his eyes shut tight.

Amelia watched him for a moment before she began to worry. He hadn't been this tired at Doctor Umeda's office…

"Mister Zelgadiss?" she asked, kneeling down above him. She touched him lightly on his chest. "Are you…?"

In a flash, he had grabbed her wrist and flipped her. Taken completely unawares, she landed a little harder than she was used to, but her old instincts from working out with Lina took over and allowed her body to relax and absorb the shock. She kicked out at him as she rolled, but she barely missed him as he kicked himself upright. She pushed herself up to a crouch and remained still, eyeing him. He was grinning at her.

"I thought you couldn't fight for a while, cheater," she said, trying not to smile.

"Who said that? Umeda said that I can return to light contact workouts as soon as I felt up to it, and I'm tired of feeling feeble. Besides, it's not cheating when we always sparred like this before."

He kicked out at her, and she was able to block it easily. Instead of attacking back, though, she hopped back out of legs reach.

"But that's not fair!" she protested. "I don't want to end up hurting you if I hit you the wrong way!"

He smirked. "You really think you'll hit me?" he goaded. "Have you been keeping up with _your_ workouts? I noticed that you didn't pace me after all…"

Growling, she launched herself at him, missing the majority of her blows, but finally landing an elbow and a knee before spinning out of the way of one of his roundhouse kicks. Then it became another game of offense and defense, trading kicks and punches and blocks, and the day suddenly became very normal. No uncomfortable feelings threatened her composure, and she found herself enjoying the workout. True, it had been some time since she had had a chance to spar with anyone, and she supposed the fact that she had fainted not too long ago was a good sign that she was not in top physical condition, but she was able to give him a good workout. Of course, after just fifteen minutes, she found herself getting quite tired, and when he caught her shoulder and tripped her down to the mat, she was more than glad to concede to him.

"Okay… you win…" she panted, her eyes shut. She could feel him kneeling next to her.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that he was looming over her, his hands still on the mat near her shoulders. Like her, he was breathing heavily, but his face was an unreadable mask. He remained silent, just staring at her. Slowly, his arms gave out, and his head sank to rest on the mat beside her. Amelia stared up at the ceiling, her heart caught in her throat at his proximity. He smelled of clean sweat and his earthy cologne, and she felt as if she would pass out in bliss.

"I'm sorry," his muffled voice sounded beside her ear. "I didn't realize you'd get so tired so fast." He lifted his head just enough to meet her gaze, but he was so close that she found it difficult to think straight. "Are you okay?"

"Me?" she asked dumbly.

"Yeah, _you_. Who else is there?" he laughed, and the deep rumble echoed into her chest.

She smiled weakly up at him, and asked, "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, actually."

"That's good…" she murmured, as she lost herself in his gaze. They remained silent, their eyes locked, for what seemed like hours. She was nervous, wondering what he was going to do, and hoping that it was the same thing that _she_ wanted to do. After all, they were all alone. He wouldn't have to worry about her father there…

The next thing she knew, he had pushed himself upright and offered her his hand.

"Hey, you can go ahead and shower. I'll put all of this stuff away."

She blinked a couple of times and then took his hand, allowing him to pull her up. Giving him a small smile, she grabbed her things and went to the bathroom to clean up as he pulled the curtains shut. She wondered what was going through his mind in situations like the one that just happened. She hardly ever had these kinds of encounters with Val when they had been closer, and she knew how _he_ had felt about her. Not counting the mistletoe (after all, you _had_ to kiss under that plant, right?), Zelgadiss kissed her of his own accord a couple of times. He had held her close and insisted that he needed her. But aside from that, nothing ever really came of these circumstances. Did he do these things on purpose, knowing that he wouldn't act on them?

After dressing in her work clothes, she towel-dried her hair and ventured out to find her friend.

Her _friend_…

She didn't realize that she had taken so long in the bathroom, because Zelgadiss had also already showered and dressed by the time she had exited. He was sitting back on the couch in the restored living room, watching TV again. She frowned.

"Mister Zelgadiss, you know that Doctor Umeda wants you to still have the massages and the heat packs after your workouts. You can't deviate from the plan he set out for you!"

"Amelia, you've only got an hour before your work begins. You don't have enough time to… hey!"

She had pulled him up off of the couch before he had finished, and she pushed him into his room.

"We're only ten minutes from my work, so that means I've got at least half an hour to administer half an hour of massages and the heat packs. I'm going to warm them up now. When I get back, you'd better be ready, because I'm coming in whether you are or not!"

Cowed by her aggressiveness, he obeyed, and Amelia reached into her backpack for the bag of heating packs that Miwan had given to her. She went to the kitchen and warmed them in the microwave. Sure to her word, when she had finished warming them up, she gave Zelgadiss two knocks warning before opening the door to his room. It was, in fact, the first time she had ever been in his room.

His bedroom had hardwood floors, just like the rest of the house, but a large area rug covered most of the floor. His furniture fit in with the rest of the décor around; the large oak armoire, the bed, and the two nightstands were typical craftsman design. Surprisingly, he had a few pieces of beautiful artwork on the wall and a statue on the nightstand that were not in keeping with the décor of the house, but otherwise, everything was clean and very utilitarian.

Amelia took a second to observe her surroundings, and then she returned her attention to her current job. Zelgadiss was lying on his bed, face down, but when she entered the room, he glanced back at her. She couldn't tell if it was the orange glow from the lamp on the nightstand, but it seemed as if his face had more color than usual. She was sure that _she_ was beet red. Thankfully, instead of a towel draped across his rear end, he was clad in shorts.

"Okay," she began, and her voice sounded shaky. "I'm going to start off with some heat."

Amelia tried to tackle things clinically, explaining what she was doing as she was doing it. Placing the heated packs on different parts of his back, arms and legs, she tried to remember everything that she was and wasn't supposed to do. After applying the heat, she had to keep her emotions well in check as she massaged him, approaching the task as if it were a job. Her constant chatter, talking about her classes between bits about what she was doing as she worked his muscles, seemed to keep her attention off of the fact that they were in a very… unique position.

Zelgadiss also seemed to appreciate it, and before long, there was a certain degree of comfort between them. In fact, the thirty minutes passed quickly, and it was with reluctance that they ended the massage therapy that day. Amelia packed away the clipboard and heating packs, and Zelgadiss stored them in the guest room once he had dressed. There was a moment of uncertainty between them, but she smiled and picked up her backpack, indicating that there was nothing that needed to be said. He returned her smile, and instead they chatted about the upcoming hockey game as he drove her to work.

oOoOoOo

Zelgadiss hoped that he would be able to find the case file that Philionel had spoken of, but after a week, he still hadn't found it. The Records people almost seemed irritated to see him so often, but they always accommodated him as best as they could. They were in the midst of an ongoing project of inputting all the hard copy information into the computer system, but after several months, they still had only scanned the past five years worth of files. Anything prior to that could only be found by manually sifting through the filing cabinets or boxes in storage. And since Zelgadiss could only search during the down times between picking up Amelia, he had only a few hours to rifle through the files.

Just when he was about to leave for the day, he finally discovered something interesting, although it didn't have anything to do with the Seyruuns. It was a report that had been signed by his father, a couple of months before he died. Flipping through the pages, he was caught by a sudden rush of emotions, and he found it suddenly hard to breathe.

Seeing the neat, bold lettering of his father's printing called to mind many a night when his father would stay up writing his reports and Zelgadiss would watch him surreptitiously from the hallway when he was supposed to be fast asleep. Memories of his mother finding him and sitting with him, rather than making him go to bed softened those thoughts into his fondest recollections of his parents. The determination and the dedication that _was_ his father ignited Zelgadiss' drive to become a police officer and even more so, a detective. To follow in his father's footsteps and become someone that both his parents would be proud of.

They had been supportive and loving his entire life, but when was the last time he had visited their graves? When was the last time he had spared them a thought, aside from finding out how they _really_ died? When was the last time he allowed himself to grieve?

"Detective?"

Surprised, he looked up from the file and saw that one of the clerks was poking her head around the door.

Quickly composing himself, he answered coolly, "Yes, Miss Gordon? What is it?"

"Sorry, sir, but you asked us to remind you when it was five o'clock."

He glanced down at his watch and saw that it was already five past.

"Oh, thanks. I'll finish up in here and be back tomorrow."

She merely nodded and disappeared, and Zelgadiss put the report back in its place. He made a mental note of the file before shutting the filing cabinet drawer. Picking up his jacket, he slowly made his way out of the dark and dusty storage room, turning off the light before shutting the door behind him.

He thanked the Records clerks again as he left, patting his jacket pocket to make sure the tickets were still there. He had been able to get great seats to the Kings and Stars hockey game that night, and he hoped that by seeing a game in person, Amelia would enjoy the sport even more.

He pulled into the parking lot of the bookstore, and much to his displeasure, Amelia was waiting for him outside. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have bothered him, but because he believed that she was in danger, she was practically begging someone to snatch her. She was standing under her umbrella sipping something hot from the café, and when she saw him, she carefully set her drink down, folded her umbrella and then picked up both her drink and another before making her way to his car. Seeing that her hands were full, he opened her door, and she slid inside, only slightly damp from the light rain.

"Here you go, Mister Zelgadiss. I got you a mocha," she said, dropping her backpack on the floor of the car along with her umbrella. She handed him the other drink and settled in. He placed it in the cup holder after taking a sip.

"Were you waiting long?" he asked, trying not to allow his displeasure show in his voice. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the freeway.

"No. Miss Lina had kept me company while she was on break, but she had to go back inside because it got really busy. I don't know what it is about the rain that screams, 'Go to a bookstore!'" She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink.

"So you weren't by yourself for very long?"

Amelia shot him a look, but he kept his eyes on the road. He knew that she would bristle at that comment, but he couldn't help it.

"You know that I was standing in front of a very busy store, well within sight of anyone inside, and that I was only by myself for five minutes. Now if you have such a problem with me waiting by myself, then maybe you should get here on time like you usually do instead of ten minutes late like you did today," she huffed.

He sighed. "I know, Amelia, and I don't want to re-hash the same old conversation. Look. I'm sorry I was late."

They came to a stoplight and he turned to her. She was trying to ignore him by staring out the window, so he placed his hand on hers. She turned in surprise, looking down at their hands and then at his face.

"I'm sorry. I know that I can't always be there to protect you, but I can't help but try." The light turned green and he returned his hands to the steering wheel & shifter. "I'll try not to be overbearing, and I'll trust your judgment if you promise to keep yourself as safe as you can."

She smiled and briefly patted his hand as he put his car into gear. "Deal," she said happily as she returned her attention to the passing scenery.

They continued onto the freeway and right into traffic. The light rain, though welcome after a hot summer and fall, caused all sorts of problems for drivers who didn't seem to know how to drive in the wet stuff. Too fast or too slow, drivers swerved, screeched and met in unsightly collisions all the time. Today was no different as they passed a couple of fender-benders as well as one unfortunate accident that required the services of an ambulance.

As they passed the latter, traffic thinned and they were still able to make it to the arena with plenty of time to spare before the game. After paying a disgusting amount of money, just to park in a nearby building's covered lot, they stepped out of the car. Amelia was about to make her way to the street when Zelgadiss asked her to wait. He reached into the back seat of his car and pulled out a Kings jersey, and then quickly pulled it on over his long-sleeved shirt.

"Wow. You must really like hockey if you've got a jersey," Amelia mentioned. Zelgadiss smirked when he shut the door and set the alarm. He pulled out their tickets, and they began walking to the arena.

"My parents used to take me to watch the Kings when I was little. I wanted to play, but my mom didn't want me to participate in such a hard-hitting game, so she enrolled me in martial arts instead," he said wryly. "So instead of getting beat up on the ice, I got beat up on dry land." He was smiling while he said it; there weren't any hard feelings there. It was a childhood dream, but one that was short-lived.

While they walked to the arena and waited in line to get in, he described how the team colors and jerseys had changed over the years. He also explained that they had originally played at the Forum across town, but that arena was highly outdated and the owners decided to move the team to a new state-of-the-art facility in the heart of downtown Saillune.

Since they hadn't had dinner yet, they got food before finding their seats, and Amelia was wowed by the experience. Zelgadiss had gotten tickets on the lower level, just three rows back from the ice at one of the corners. She was surprised by the fact that it was quite cold down there, and she was glad that she had brought her jacket. They found their seats and they ate as they watched the two teams during the warm up skate. Several times, Amelia ducked when a puck came flying at them, bouncing loudly off of the Plexiglas before them.

Finally, once the national anthem was sung, the game began. After a few minutes of watching the play in front of them and the jumbo-tron for the play down the ice, Zelgadiss asked Amelia what she thought of the whole thing.

"It's quieter than I thought it would be," she said as two skaters came racing up towards them and went crashing into the boards. Amelia flinched while a loud cheer rose up around them. Zelgadiss was among those cheering the hard check. "Well, maybe not _that_ quiet," she amended.

"Well, when you're here, you don't get to hear the play-by-play unless you bring an AM radio," he explained as they watched the players skating down the ice. "But when things get going, it won't be quiet for very long."

Sure enough, play came up ice in the form of a break-away. One of the forwards poked the puck past the defender and took off skating towards the goalie. Amelia grabbed onto Zelgadiss' sleeve in excitement as the player shot up the ice. He pulled the puck quickly from his left to his right, and then flipped it up and over the sprawling goaltender. It hit the back of the net, the red goal light on the glass above the net went on, and the crowd erupted into an enormous roar.

On their feet and cheering, Amelia and Zelgadiss gave each other and their neighbors high fives as the Kings celebrated the opening goal. The excitement of the goal was not lost on Amelia and she was bouncing in her seat, long after play had resumed.

"Wow! That was so awesome, Mister Zelgadiss! He was so fast, but he was still able to keep control of the puck! Oh, this is _way_ better than watching it on TV. You can see how fast they really are, and... oh my gosh, that guy got squashed!… you can see how good they all are! I almost forgot that they're doing all of this on ice skates!"

Her face was bright with a new enthusiasm for the game, and Zelgadiss couldn't help grinning at how well she took to the game. The sport was rough, and at times, outright violent, but Amelia bore it well, cheering at each check and booing for each opposing goal scored. Zelgadiss took the time to explain what happened whenever the whistle blew a play dead, and before long, Amelia was shouting alongside him at questionable calls.

Unfortunately, the Kings were down three to two. Amelia was so into the game that when the Kings defenseman checked the Stars player right in front of them, she stood up and yelled, "Hit him again!!!" Almost as if they heard her, the puck was rimmed around the ice back in front of them, and two Kings teamed up to flatten the Stars player hard into the glass.

This play sparked several quality scoring chances at the other end of the ice, and within a few minutes, the crowd was on their feet again, cheering on their Kings as they scored the tying goal. The game eventually went into overtime, but no one was able to score in sudden-death overtime, so the game ended in a well-deserved tie.

"So, did you enjoy yourself?" Zelgadiss asked Amelia as they drove home from the game.

"Oh, that was so cool! The whole atmosphere is so intimate, not like a baseball or football field. And it's almost all constant action, and so fast-paced. And when they score a goal, it's really something to celebrate."

Zelgadiss laughed. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time. You know, I think you may have been the one to turn it around for us, with your cheerleading." He couldn't see her face, but he was sure she was blushing. Near the end of the game, he had to pull her back down into her seat when she had put a foot up on the empty seat in front of her and shouted for the Kings to hit the Stars with 'the Hammer of Justice'. Everyone around them had cheered along with her.

"I guess I got a little bit into it, huh?"

"That's okay. It's nice to see you having fun."

"You, too," she said, poking him in the side.

"Hey, I'm trying to drive here," he yelled, squirming out of her reach.

"Oh, fine," she laughed.

When he dropped her off, he didn't want their enjoyable evening to end, so he decided to walk her to the front door. The rain had let up for once, so they took their time walking up the path. Amelia was still amped up and was talking excitedly about going to another game.

"Well, let's see how things go, okay?" he said when they reached the front door. "We can talk about it some more later. But in the meantime, we can always watch it on TV."

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, but I don't know if we get that sports channel…"

"Don't worry. I've got it. They've got another game on Monday."

"Oh, cool! I don't work that day." She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door.

He chuckled. "Okay, then it's a date."

The second he said it, he wished it had never come out of his mouth.

What the hell??? Wasn't this exactly the kind of thing he didn't want to even joke about? Sure, it wasn't kissing her, but he didn't want to do _anything_ that would be misleading.

Thankfully, Amelia didn't seem to notice, because she continued on as if he had just made a comment about the weather.

"I can make some mini bundt-cakes. Miss Tohru gave me her recipe." She opened the door and then turned back to him. "Thank you for bringing me to the game, Mister Zelgadiss. I had so much fun. I'll see you later. Goodnight."

Smiling brightly, she gave him a quick hug before disappearing into the house, and Zelgadiss was left feeling a bit confused. He was glad that she had so much fun with him, appalled that he said that the next game would be a 'date', and disappointed that she didn't seem to care that he had said it.

Frowning, he returned to his car, sternly reminding himself that he _shouldn't_ care that they were _just_ friends.

oOoOoOo

Although Amelia had been excited about the prospect of watching another hockey game on the television with Zelgadiss, their 'date' at his house to watch the Kings game was uneventful but fun. She was content with their time together, and was in fact thankful that her days were becoming quite normal. They had become used to their workout routine every other day after her classes, and the comfort level between them had increased. The massages and the heat therapy sessions continued, although, by the notes that Miwan had given her, both could slowly be phased out soon. When she mentioned this to Zelgadiss, he told her that they could determine whether or not to stop later.

Amelia appreciated the structure of these days, and was glad that Zelgadiss didn't need things to change just yet. She needed things to be routine, because as the days progressed, her appetite was waning again, and she was feeling less and less sociable. After all, a day that she wasn't looking forward to was fast approaching.

"So, tell me again why you have to quit?" Lina asked, pointing her fork at Amelia.

The girls were eating at Ashford's, a local fish store that the group had stumbled upon in one of their late night ramblings around town a few months ago. It was a regular fish market, selling different kinds of fish from the ocean and the lakes around Saillune, but they also had a restaurant section that could cook and serve the patron's choice of fish whichever way they requested.

Lina had seen one of their specials, 'Dragon cuisine,' whatever that was, and wanted to try it out, but each time she had ordered it, they never had the right ingredients, or the chef who specialized in it was off that day, or the fishermen were on strike and there were no fish… Lina had been there so often, just to try the food, that some of the cooks were even fired because of her strict culinary standards. After a couple of months of disappointment, though, Lina had given up on trying to eat the elusive cuisine.

Today, Lina had a light lunch of a deep-fried catfish sandwich, an order of fried shrimp, sautéed scallops, with a side of hush puppies, fries, corn on the cob, and coleslaw, while Amelia merely ordered Cajun style catfish and hush puppies.

Amelia shrugged her shoulders and popped another hush puppy into her mouth. "I think I might see about getting a job with my uncle." It had been something that she and her uncle had once talked about, so it was a ready-made excuse, but she didn't really know the feasibility of it. Zelgadiss would probably tell her that she wouldn't be able to do anything until things were safer.

Lina raised an eyebrow. "You're already going to work with lawyers? Why not wait until you're done with your first year of school? It's going to be way more work than the bookstore, and we all know how you handled the last time you were overworked."

Amelia blushed, remembering how stressed out she had been and how much she had snapped at everyone for any little thing. "Yeah, I know. Maybe I'll wait until summer…"

"But then, why quit now?" Lina asked.

Ugh. Well, she never really thought about that. Hating to lie to her best friend, she whispered, "Miss Lina, to be honest, I don't really have a choice. Mister Zelgadiss said that he thinks I should quit until this thing with my family is over. He doesn't want me so… exposed."

Lina snorted. "Are you sure about that?"

Amelia threw her wadded up napkin at her friend as they laughed. "You _know_ what I mean." Then she sighed, "I can't even ride my motorcycle anymore. _And_, someone always needs to be with us wherever we go."

"Hmph. Is _that_ why Zel's been driving you everywhere?"

"Yeah."

"So, what have you guys been doing after school? You usually don't start work until… Wait a minute. What _are_ you guys doing? Anything good? Huh?" she jibed.

Amelia blushed, despite her best efforts to remain calm. "Nothing! He just helps me with my homework and… and stuff…"

Lina eyed her slyly. "What kind of 'stuff'?"

"Nothing like that!" When it was clear that Lina didn't believe her, Amelia decided that the best defense was a good offense. "Well, what about you and Mister Gourry? I've noticed that you've been spending a lot more time with him lately. What have _you_ two been doing?"

Lina blushed even more than Amelia did, and she was completely silent. Amelia gasped. "No way! Really? But you've only been going out for a couple of months, right? Did you… did you, you know…?"

Lina glanced around, her face still as red as her hair, and whispered fiercely, "Hey, not so loud! It's not a big deal, really. I… I'll tell you later. I don't want to say anything here, okay?"

Amelia nodded, and then reached over and hugged her. Lina hugged her back briefly and then swatted her away. "Oh, stop it… Hey, are you going to be okay?" she asked seriously, though she was really trying to change the direction of their conversation. "I know it's coming up in a couple of days."

Amelia didn't need to ask to know what Lina was talking about. She frowned.

"I've only woken up in the middle of the night once in the last week, but no nightmares," she reported as she ripped up the paper sleeve from her straw. "Even Mister Zelgadiss noticed that I've not been myself lately. He said that I've been 'too quiet and withdrawn,' and he was worried that I was sick or something. I told him it was 'that time of the month' and he left me alone after that… I guess it's something I can't really hide, is it?"

"Yeah, well, anyone who knows you would notice something's not right. Besides, you _shouldn't_ keep this stuff in. I still think you should talk with someone about it."

"Yeah, I know," she said, sighing. "Shrinks and counselors suck though…"

"Why not Zel, then?"

"I don't know. He's already so tied up with my family with all this stuff going on right now. He doesn't need to hear about my personal hang ups, too."

"Yeah, well, if he really cared about you, he'd care enough to listen to you," Lina grumbled, and though she knew that Amelia heard her, she didn't push the issue. Trying to get her friend in a better mood, Lina slapped her hand on the table. "Hey, let's finish lunch and get back to work. I'm sure Jack will have something fun planned for your last day. Just act surprised at whatever he does, okay?"

Sure enough, that brought a smile to her friend's face, and they ate the rest of their lunch. Lina even let Amelia eat a couple of her shrimp for good measure. They returned to work, and as predicted, there was a goodbye cake, and it seemed that the employees who weren't scheduled showed up anyway to give Amelia their regards. People hovered around her, chatting and laughing, and though she joined in with them, she remained a little distracted. Lina, though, kept her friend in the here and now, and Amelia tried her best to remain cheerful.

Though she had it in her head that she was going to work all the way until she clocked out, she actually spent much of her time talking with her friends and saying goodbye to several of her regular customers. It was both heartening to know that she was so well-liked, but it was sad to know that she wouldn't be working with people she had come to like and enjoy. It was tough saying goodbye to Lina, even though they saw each other all the time. Amelia really enjoyed working with her best friend.

But, she supposed it was time to move on anyway. Her cousin was right: she needed to find a job with a lawyer. Not only would it pay better than this minimum wage clerk position, but it would help her gain valuable knowledge in this field of her choice. Lina, too, was right: it was going to be difficult to try to begin a new job in a high-stress line of work while she was still trying to get through her first year of college. She would just have to wait until summer, if that was even an option.

Always an active person, Amelia didn't know what she was going to do with her time now. She had her classes, but they didn't take all day, so what was she going to do once Zelgadiss decided that he didn't need her help anymore? And if she couldn't even do something simple like shopping without asking someone to drive her to the mall, what was the point in trying to be independent? Of course, she fully understood the threat to her family, and the importance of keeping everyone safe, but she was beginning to feel a little shut in. And Zelgadiss' quick shifts in moods weren't making her feel as if there was any stability in their 'relationship' either.

_Just take it a day at a time…_

Well, if she could only get through the next _couple_ of days, she could be content for a while.

oOoOoOo

Amelia closed her closet door and stared at herself in the mirror. She frowned at the reflection: a pale girl in a black sweater with a long black coat, a long black skirt and black boots.

She hated black.

Sitting down on her bed, she smoothed out the wrinkles on the comforter and tried not to look at her reflection again. Trying not to think about the painful past, she tried to concentrate on the mundane: the length of her hair (she noticed that her hair was getting longer; it was just touching her shoulders, and she wondered if she should get it cut soon… or maybe she would grow it out…), the light orange of the bedspread (she didn't like the color, but since her father had picked it out after they had the carpets replaced and her room cleaned, she supposed she would stick with it for a while), the pale yellow of the walls (it was bright and sunny, something that she normally liked, but her mood now was far from cheery)…

It was tough trying to think of other things, though, when her stomach was twisting in knots.

_Knock knock_.

The door opened, and Beth poked her head into Amelia's room.

"Mister Zelgadiss is here, dear. We'll be along soon."

"Thank you," Amelia said, and Beth left her alone.

Amelia then began gathering her things together, steeling herself for what was bound to be a long and difficult day. She picked up a large bouquet of Easter lilies, looked around her room for anything she might have missed, and then headed downstairs. Zelgadiss was waiting in the foyer, and despite her glum mood, Amelia couldn't help but notice how good he looked in a suit.

"Hey," he said quietly, giving her a little smile.

"Thank you for giving me a ride, Mister Zelgadiss," she said, trying to return his smile. Waving a quick goodbye to her father, who was on the phone in the kitchen, Amelia followed Zelgadiss outside.

It was raining lightly, and luckily his umbrella was big enough for both of them. He held it over them as they walked slowly down the path to the car. Amelia was not in any kind of a rush, and she was grateful that Zelgadiss matched her steps. When they reached the car, he opened the door for her, and she was surprised to see two small bouquets of white roses.

"Oh. Sorry about that. Would you be able to hold those for me?" he asked, reaching down and removing them from the seat.

"Sure," she said, sitting down and accepting them from him. He closed her door and then went around the car and opened his door. Before he sat down though, she noticed that he was eyeing the surrounding cars as he folded up his umbrella. He shook it out and then placed it in the back seat before sliding into the driver's seat.

Amelia was becoming used to these little motions, his constant surveillance of the environment, his ever present suspicion. Though she appreciated his thoroughness, she didn't like thinking that there was danger behind every tree or in every car.

As they were driving away, he mentioned, "Do you mind if we make another visit afterwards?"

She was curious as to what he was talking about. Did he want to maybe visit his parents' graves, too?

"No. I don't mind," she answered.

The ride was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. It was a solemn day, and Amelia's thoughts were solely on the upcoming gathering. Usually, it would be just family going to the grave, but many other people had expressed a wish to pay their respects to her and the family. Although people would always tell her that they should be celebrating her mother's life instead of remembering her death, forgetting that night was something that Amelia could never do.

Zelgadiss drove slowly, winding his way down around to the far side of the hill before he turned into the cemetery driveway. The rolling green slopes were dotted with a few flowers and flags, and the granite and marble mausoleums, too, had flowers and ribbons adorning the walls. A light mist floated above the extensive lawns, obscuring the grounds several dozen yards away.

"I don't like this fog," Zelgadiss muttered under his breath. Amelia glanced at him, and he immediately looked apologetic. "Um… Well, visibility is low, so there's little chance of a ranged attack. Well, then, do you know how to get there?" he asked, trying to get back on track.

Trying to ignore what he had just said, Amelia sat forward in her seat as she tried to remember how to get to the plot. As they approached the first intersection, she said, "Turn right up here, and go all the way around until you get to the fork. Go left, and the Seyruun plot should be on our right."

When they arrived at their destination, they saw that a black Escalade was already parked there. Zelgadiss frowned, eying it suspiciously, but as they passed it to park, Amelia saw that it was her sister and Bradley. When she explained that to him, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Amelia inwardly groaned. She really didn't need anything more to worry about right now.

"You can leave one of the bouquets here, Amelia," Zelgadiss said as he got out of the car. He opened up his umbrella and held it above her head as she stepped out. They walked over to the other car as Naga rolled down the window.

"Why don't you just wait in the car?" her sister asked. "It'll be a while before everyone gets here, and you'll get drenched."

Amelia just shook her head with a small smile. Without a word, she turned and walked with Zelgadiss across the grass, past a number of different 'Seyruun' headstones, ranging from simple to ornate. The last few generations of her family were buried here; her other, more royal, ancestors were buried in the cemetery of the old cathedral downtown.

Finally, they arrived at the simple gravestone marked 'Victoria Seyruun – Loving Wife, Mother and Friend'.

She whispered a quiet, "Hi, Mommy," before reaching down to pull the overgrown grass from the stone. Heedless of the fact that her skirt was in the wet grass, she cleaned off the stone, and then pulled on a round metal plate in the ground. A metal cylinder came up, and she tapped it on the grass to knock out any critters that inhabited it.

"Would you mind holding the flowers please?" she asked Zelgadiss, and he offered his arm, cradling them gently. "I'll be right back."

Leaving him behind, she quickly walked over to a water spout that was sticking up out of the ground near the curb. She smiled at her sister who was shaking her head at her actions. Naga was probably upset that her sister was getting wet, but Amelia didn't care. This had been her job for several years now, and she wasn't going to stop, just because it was raining. She turned the cylinder upside down and filled it with water from the spout before returning to Zelgadiss. She slid the container back into the hole, and then began arranging the flowers in it, taking time and care with her duty.

Before long, several other cars began arriving, each one eyed closely by Zelgadiss, and when Amelia saw the huge form of her father approaching, she finally stood.

"You didn't have to do that, daughter," he said, enveloping her in a hug. "I was going to take care of it."

They had just seen each other fifteen minutes ago, but he held her as if it had been years. Finally, Naga approached them tentatively, looking as if she were trying not to step on the grass. Bradley just patiently walked with her, holding the umbrella above her head. When she reached them, Philionel hugged her just as tightly and perhaps a little longer than he did his youngest daughter. When he released her, surprisingly, she wasn't annoyed or upset. Instead, she gave her sister a big hug as well, and the family stood quietly around the grave.

Zelgadiss felt a bit like an outsider and was about to step away for a bit, but then Beth and Jordan arrived and stopped beside him.

"You don't have to go. They always do this: first, some private family time," Jordan explained. "One time, I tried to give them more space, and Amelia read me the riot act."

He nodded, and after a few moments, Amelia turned back to him with a little smile. He took it as an invitation, and he stepped forward and offered her his umbrella. The Seyruuns separated, and stood back from the grave. Zelgadiss gazed down upon the stark headstone and the pretty flowers that Amelia had arranged, and was suddenly struck by a profound sense of sadness, not for his own sorrow, but for his friend, knowing that her mother's death still haunted her to this day. She never really spoke about it, but he could tell that it continued to affect her, and he hoped that she could one day be at peace with it.

Slowly, other people began to venture over, standing a respectable distance away, and Amelia noticed that these must be people that her parents knew. They were all dressed in dark clothing, huddled together under umbrellas as the rain began to come down a little harder. Her uncle and cousin soon arrived, as well as Mayor Ul Copt, himself. Apparently, this was a bigger affair than she had thought.

"Oh, shit," Naga whispered beside them. Amelia looked up at her. "I _told_ her not to come." Naga glanced over at Zelgadiss who was on the other side of her sister.

Amelia searched the growing crowd and saw who it was she was talking about. In the distance, she saw the young woman who had approached her outside of Zelgadiss' house a couple of months ago. She was leading an older gentleman through the grass towards them. It was Eris, and that must have been Rezo, Zelgadiss' grandfather.

"What the hell…?" Zelgadiss growled beside her. He, too, had spotted their approach, and he glared over Amelia's head at Naga.

"I swear I told her not to come, Zel," Naga whispered.

His hand holding the umbrella clenched tightly, as if he were imagining wringing their necks. Suddenly afraid that he would leave her, Amelia reached down and found his free hand, grasping it firmly. An inexplicable need to keep him with her, gripped Amelia, and she sought the solace that she had so recently found in his presence.

"What?" He glared down at her for a moment, but when he saw the anxiety on her face, his expression softened.

"Please don't leave," she whispered, not sure if he would be able to hear her. Whether or not he did, she didn't know, but he moved his hand around hers, holding onto her more comfortably. He squeezed it once, and then returned his gaze to the growing crowd, his face solemn and unfeeling. His hand, however, didn't move.

Zelgadiss' presence was comforting in a way that Amelia couldn't describe. Visiting her mother's grave was never a happy experience, and she always dreaded it, but she never missed a visit, no matter how painful it was for her. The days approaching this event were always tough on her, with bad dreams and sleepless nights, anxiousness and loss of appetite. But now, on the tenth anniversary of her mother's death, the sick twisting feeling in Amelia's gut that had always plagued her was not as awful as it usually was.

Philionel coughed to get everyone's attention, and then addressed the crowd.

"I'd like to thank you all for coming today: my daughters, Beth and Jordan, Christopher and Alfred, Mister Mayor, my colleagues from the courthouse, Commissioner Greywords, Ms. Metallium, among many other friends.

"It would mean a lot to Victoria to know that she is still loved and remembered. She had touched many lives, had always worked towards a Saillune that was just and fair, and had never given up on the goal of the world being a more peaceful place to live, not just within Saillune, but between Saillune and its neighbors. In the years since she's been gone, the world has come many steps closer to the one she had dreamed of.

"She would be proud of everything we've accomplished, everything we are still accomplishing. She would be proud of her daughters…" He looked over at Naga and Amelia, standing beside each other, and smiled. He studied them for a moment, and then his gaze returned to the crowd. "…just as I am. They are strong and independent women, just like their mother. She would be so proud."

His voice caught just then, and he lifted one of his large hands to wipe at his face.

"We miss her. Every day," he said, his voice hoarse. "Thank you…"

Naga took her umbrella from Bradley, and she and Amelia went to their father. Zelgadiss released Amelia's hand when he saw that Philionel needed his daughters, and he remained where he was, suddenly feeling cold. His eyes inevitably returned to the crowd, and landed on _them_.

Even now, he could feel his blood boiling, seeing them just standing there, knowing that they shouldn't have come. Eris glanced in his direction and caught his gaze. He glared at her, wanting to force them to leave, when suddenly, a hand was in his, and Amelia was back at his side. Looking down at her, he felt his anger begin to wane, and when he realized that he was worrying her, he allowed the rest of it to seep from his mind.

"I told Daddy that we would see him back at the house. I think everyone's going to pay their respects and then they'll go back to the house for brunch."

Zelgadiss looked over to Philonel and Naga. They were speaking with a few of the visitors, but Phil caught his eye and nodded his head. Nodding back in understanding, Zelgadiss gently pulled Amelia away from the grave.

"Are you sure it's okay?" he asked as they walked away. He still held tightly onto Amelia's hand.

"Yes. We already had our own time with her."

They went to the car, but instead of letting her get inside, Zelgadiss told Amelia to just get the bouquet.

"If you don't mind a little walk," he asked.

She shook her head, and they walked up the road a ways before Zelgadiss led her up a walk towards a nearby mausoleum. When they stepped inside, he folded his umbrella, setting it next to the entrance. Several rubber mats were on the ground to prevent people from slipping on the marble floors since the rain was continuing to blow inside. Amelia stepped carefully, even when they reached the drier areas. The last thing she needed today was to slip and land on her rear end.

They walked down the open hallway lined with headstones, towards a spot on the wall that was adorned with a small bunch of red roses.

"Tch." Zelgadiss frowned at the sight. He was about to rip those flowers out of the vase, but Amelia's hand closed on his when he reached for them.

"Regardless of who it was, Mister Zelgadiss, they're paying respect to them," she said quietly.

It took a tremendous effort to pull his clenched fingers from the red roses, but he finally released the offending flowers.

"My mother _hated_ red roses," he grumbled, still glaring at them. "But of course, _he_ wouldn't know that since he never liked her anyway."

"Maybe they were for your father then?" Amelia asked as she carefully unwrapped his bouquet. Zelgadiss backed away and sat down on the marble bench in the middle of the hall.

"I doubt it…" he grumbled, but left it at that.

She began arranging the white roses along with the red, and placed the few stalks of the baby's breath among the vibrant blooms.

After a moment Amelia spoke. "What were they like?" she asked, glancing back at him. "Your parents, I mean."

Zelgadiss smiled a little. Despite her natural curiosity and her open nature, she had never really asked him much about his family before. For some reason, he was actually glad that she was interested.

"Well, they were both very smart. My dad was one of the best detectives on the force," he bragged. "He was always trying to clean up the city, one bad guy at a time. He was pretty brave, too. He sometimes would go after the guys that no one else had the guts to try. It seemed that he was always trying to put away some crime boss or another. I think he was a tough, hard-nosed detective… the kind I'd love to be one day."

Amelia smiled, and returned her attention to the flowers. Zelgadiss watched her for a moment, noticing how she tilted her head every now and then, before pulling a flower out and rearranging it. He thought that his mom would have really liked the young woman before him who was so careful in making a bunch of flowers look nice for dead people she didn't know.

"Mom was softer," he continued. "She was always singing or dancing around the house. If Dad was at work, then I was her impromptu partner. And if she wasn't painting or drawing, she was sculpting or molding something. And though her artwork was very popular, it was her designs that made her somewhat famous."

"Designs?" Amelia asked, clearly puzzled.

"You know the Museum of Art downtown?"

"Oh, she's got some artwork there?"

Zelgadiss glanced at her and smiled. "Well, yes. I think I've got one of her paintings and a bronze statue on display there, but she actually _designed_ the museum. She was an architect, but her true passion was in art."

"Wow. No wonder you're so good at it," she said, recalling his statue of her sister. She briefly wondered if those paintings in his bedroom were by his mother; if they were, then she was a _very_ good artist. Stepping away from the tomb, she joined him at the bench and sat beside him.

"I wouldn't say I'm 'good.' 'Adequate,' perhaps, is the better word. But she did instill in me a healthy appreciation for art and architecture… Oh, hey, you're bleeding."

She looked at her forefinger, and realized that a drop of red was growing at the tip. Before he could pull out his handkerchief, she stuck her finger in her mouth.

"Oh, one of the roses still had a thorn on it," she said, inspecting her finger again. Sure enough, blood bloomed once more from the tiny point. She lifted her finger to her mouth again, but Zelgadiss grabbed her wrist.

"Don't do that again," he complained. "Here, use this." He pressed his handkerchief to her finger, putting pressure on it. She rolled her eyes.

"It's just a little prick." Silence followed, and then Amelia giggled.

"Stop," Zelgadiss snorted, shaking his head. "We're supposed to be adults here, you know." He chuckled anyway.

"I'm sorry," she laughed. "I guess I needed to laugh." She pulled the cloth away from her finger and this time, it took longer for the blood to appear. "See? It's nothing."

"Well, keep pressure on it anyway." He released her hand and leaned back. His gaze returned to his parents' resting place.

"See?" Amelia said softly beside him. "The flowers look nice like that. No one would ever know that they came from two different people."

"You're right," he sighed, appreciating Amelia's unbiased nature (as well as her flower-arranging skills). If he were a passerby, he would never be able to tell that there was a complete difference of opinion between the two people who supplied the flowers.

Two _completely_ different people…

Zelgadiss felt a thrill of realization shoot up his spine. All at once, many confusing things became very crystal clear.

"Mister Zelgadiss?" Amelia said, seeing that he had become completely distracted. He turned to her with a smirk. "Wha…?"

Before she could react, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly. Then, just as suddenly, he released her.

"You are a genius," he said excitedly. He stood and held out his hand for her. She took it, and he all but yanked her off the bench. He pulled her quickly to the entrance of the hall, and of course, she slipped in one of the puddles. His arm shot out to keep her from falling, and he guided her carefully until they reached the rubber mats.

"Mister Zelgadiss, what…?" she began, but he didn't let her finish.

"You've helped me figure something out that's been bugging me for weeks," he explained as he grabbed the umbrella and opened it. Amelia glanced behind her, and if he hadn't been paying attention, he wouldn't have seen her give a quick bow back towards the tomb before joining him. It was heartening to see her give his parents that respect.

With one hand holding the umbrella and the other around her waist, he hurried her down the walk and back towards his car. It appeared that they were the only visitors remaining from the Seyruun gathering. Within minutes, they were in the car on their way back to her home.

"Amelia, I've got to go to work to confirm it, but I'm positive that's what it is. I'll drop you off at home, but I'll let you and your family know once I'm certain, okay?"

"Sure, but what is it? I think Gracia said that she wanted to talk to you at home."

"She'll have to wait. I'll try to explain everything later."

Amelia could see that he was clearly distracted by this new-found idea, so she left him to his thoughts. All too soon, he had pulled into the driveway and was dropping her off.

"Should we expect you for dinner?" she asked, hoping to see him again soon.

"Uh, sure. I'll give you a call later, okay?"

Nodding, she closed the car door behind her and walked up the steps and into her house before he drove away. She couldn't help feeling a little strange, a little… out of it. Whether it was because of the abruptness with which Zelgadiss had left her, or if it was because of the solemn mood of the day, she couldn't tell. After all, she had never been able to get through this particular anniversary without descending into a troubled mood.

Several people greeted her inside, as the memorial service continued, but she passed them all with a little smile and wave, barely acknowledging them. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that it was rude, but it didn't seem to matter to her just then. As she walked the house in search of her sister to let her know that Zelgadiss had already left, she caught snippets of the conversations around her.

"… never gave up. That's what was so great about her…"

"… poor thing. She's always missed her mother…"

"… not afraid of anyone or anything. She even tried to convict the people that no one else…"

"… helped to convict Zanaffar, didn't she?"

"… heard that the girls found her body…"

"… no, she didn't have any other family…"

"… can I speak with you for a moment?"

Amelia realized that the last was directed at her, and she turned and found herself face to face with Eris. She had wandered upstairs and hadn't noticed that someone had followed her to the upstairs family room. She glanced behind the woman, but saw that Rezo was nowhere to be found.

"Rezo is waiting for me in the car," Eris explained, approaching Amelia directly.

"Um… why do you want to talk to me? My sister…"

"She won't talk to me right now, but she's not the one I wanted to speak with."

Normally kind and genial, even with strangers, Amelia did not feel as if she could comfortably talk with this woman one on one. After all, she had been Zelgadiss' former girlfriend, and the source of a great deal of his emotional pain. It seemed as if it would be a huge slight to Zelgadiss if she gave Eris the time of day.

She shook her head and turned away. "I'm sorry, I've got to…" she began, but Eris shot out her hand and grabbed her wrist firmly, squeezing so tightly that Amelia's bracelet dug into her skin.

"Look," Eris whispered harshly, "_This_ is very important…"

"There you are, Amelia! What, Eris…? What's going on here?"

Amelia turned around and saw that her cousin Alfred had just come up the stairs and was watching them intently. Eris immediately released her wrist and took a step back. Excusing herself, she slid past Alfred and descended the steps and disappeared. Alfred watched her leave with curiosity.

"What was that about?" he asked, looking over at Amelia.

"I don't know. I think she was trying to get me to help her make up with Gracia. I didn't know that you knew her."

"I worked with her when the Mayor had some business with Commissioner Greywords a couple of years ago."

"Oh, I see… Oh, no…"

As Amelia was rubbing her wrist, her bracelet fell to the carpet, the clasp clearly having been broken. She picked it up and, after examining it for a moment, slipped it into her jacket pocket with a frown.

"I guess now I'll have to get it fixed," she grumbled. "Oh, I'm sorry. What did you want, Alfred?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "It looked to me like she was holding your arm pretty hard."

"I'm fine. I don't even know her, just by sight, really."

"What did she say to you?"

"She said that my sister wasn't talking to her."

He snorted. "Yeah, what else is new? Naga doesn't talk to me, either."

Amelia chuckled at this, and then he explained that his father wanted to talk to her again about the internship they had spoken about for the upcoming summer. Though they had merely mentioned it in passing, recently he was really pushing her to come and work for him.

"Well, I'll have to see about that," she said, not wanting to explain that she wasn't sure if she could even have a job, come summertime.

Before she could worry about having to come up with an excuse, though, her sister stepped out of her bedroom and stopped short at seeing their cousin.

"Amelia, come here. I want to show you something," she ordered.

Amelia blinked twice. She couldn't remember the last time her sister called her by her first name.

"Uh… sure. Excuse me, Alfred," she said, giving him a sheepish look. He merely shrugged his shoulders and returned downstairs. Amelia went to answer her sister's summons.

"What was that?" Naga asked when she closed her bedroom door behind Amelia.

The younger sister rolled her eyes. "Oh, get over it, Gracia. Alfred was telling me that Uncle Christopher wanted to see if I was interested in a summer internship with him, that's all. He's our cousin, for crying out loud."

"Yeah, and all those Seyruuns who killed each other in the past were brothers and sisters and cousins, weren't they?"

Surprised, she couldn't help but say, "Wow. So you _were_ paying attention when Daddy would tell us those stories?"

"Of course I did, especially with what happened to Mom."

"Oh, you don't _really_ think Uncle Christopher had anything to do with that, do you?"

"Well, Randy was the one who was supposed to have killed her, right? Like he'd even _know_ where to buy a gun. _He's_ the one who's in the NRA!" she whispered, pointing in the general direction of downstairs, indicating their other uncle.

"But why Mommy? Why not Daddy at that point?"

"_That's_ why I need Zel. Where is he?"

"He's not here."

"What? Did you two fight again?"

"No! He said I helped him figure something out, and that he had to go to the station right away."

Naga shook her head and strode around the room, clearly agitated.

"Oh, this was the perfect time for him to watch that man…"

"But he's working on finding out who sent me that card. I'm sure if he really felt that Uncle was someone worth investigating in Mommy's case…"

"We'll just have to ask him, then, won't we? I mean, I gave him the file months ago, and no breaks yet?"

"Well, he did say that he thinks the two incidents are connected somehow," Amelia said. "He said he wasn't exactly sure how, and that he needed more evidence, so I'm sure if Uncle was involved in some way, Mister Zelgadiss would know."

"I don't see it," Naga said finally. "I don't _get_ how they can be connected… Oh, whatever. I guess I'll let him figure it out." Though disconcerted, she changed the subject and said, "Here, I brought you a few new dresses. I know you're going to that musical and the ball later this month. You'll be the first to wear any of these, so it will be good free publicity for me."

Glad to be talking about something less gloomy, Amelia immediately latched on. "How will people know they're your designs?"

"Oh, don't worry. They'll know," she said with a smirk, and Amelia sighed. "Try them on later tonight, okay? And let me know which ones you'll be wearing."

Amelia inwardly groaned at the thought, but decided to go ahead and trust her sister. Though her sister's designs could be quite risqué, Amelia enjoyed not having to go out and constantly try to find the latest fashions.

"By the way, are you fighting with Miss Eris?" Amelia wondered as the two slowly returned downstairs to the memorial service.

"No, but I told her she was being stupid coming here, especially since you and Zel are going out now."

Amelia turned red, despite herself. "We're not going out," she whispered, but her sister was already waving her off with a lingering, "Whatever." Naga headed towards the kitchen and Amelia decided to find her Uncle.

Well, that was probably why Eris had wanted to talk to her after all: she had wanted to talk about Zelgadiss. Feeling even more uncomfortable, Amelia hesitantly looked around the rooms, and was very glad that she saw neither Eris nor Rezo. Breathing a sigh of relief, she went off in search of her Uncle to talk about postponing the internship.

oOoOoOo

When the doorbell rang at nine o'clock, Ginger started barking, and Amelia slowly got up from the carpet where she had been playing fetch with her puppy. The obedient dog followed, so Amelia picked her up when she checked the peep hole and then opened the door. Ginger had gotten out the front door earlier in the week, and Amelia didn't want to chase her down the street _again_…

"Hi, Mister Zelgadiss."

"Hi. I'm sorry I'm late," he said, stepping through the door and giving Ginger a pat on the head as he passed them. Amelia shut the door behind him, locked it, and then set the dog down on the floor. "It was a little tough gathering all the information, but I think I've got enough to get started," he continued, pointing at his briefcase.

"Well, before that, have you eaten yet?"

"Huh?" he asked in surprise. He had been heading towards Phil's study, and stopped short. "Oh. I guess not since breakfast. I ate a bag of chips on the way here…"

"Mister Zelgadiss!"

But this time, it wasn't Amelia who was chastising him. Beth had wandered out into the foyer and caught the tail end of the conversation, and before he could object, she was already ushering him into the kitchen and sitting him down at the table. He placed his briefcase down on the floor beside him. Ginger sniffed at it hopefully, but he shooed her away before Amelia could see.

"Whatever you've got can wait until you've eaten properly. Besides, Mister Phil is on the phone right now. Amelia, can you please get a plate?"

Amelia complied, and the two women worked together, re-heating the dinner from a couple of hours earlier. Before long, a full plate of food - roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, and steamed broccoli - was before Zelgadiss, and Amelia was sitting across the table from him. His mouth began to water, and he eagerly dug in. He hadn't even realized that he had been hungry.

"You know, my sister wasn't happy that you didn't come inside when you dropped me off," she said idly when Beth retired to her room. "She figured it was the best time for you to investigate my uncle."

"I'm not so sure that would have been a good idea," he said after swallowing a spoonful of potatoes and washing it down with a gulp of water. "Well, I think we should be concentrating on the current threat instead, but I'll talk to her. Is she asleep?"

"No. She returned to Atlas City a couple of hours ago."

"So, I guess it doesn't matter anyway," he began, but seeing Amelia frown, he added, "but I'll call her later."

He continued to eat in silence. Ginger wandered over to sit at Zelgadiss' chair, and before he could shoo her away again, Amelia pounced.

"No, you bad girl," she scolded her dog. "No begging at the table. Crate," she ordered, and the golden pup trotted into the crate and circled twice before laying down, looking thoroughly ashamed. Amelia locked her inside, but already appeared as if she was about to relent and let her out again.

To find something to do so that she wouldn't feel guilty about locking up her dog, Amelia decided to dive into the freezer. She pulled out a carton of ice cream and spooned three scoops of pink ice cream into a bowl and then looked expectantly at him. "Did you want dessert, too, Mister Zelgadiss?" she asked.

"Maybe later," he said, and she put the carton away without another word.

Instead of joining him back at the table, though, she stood at the counter and began eating silently, staring thoughtfully at the faucet. She wanted to mention that Eris had interacted with her, just to find out what Zelgadiss thought about it, but knew that if she did, he would flip out and give her nothing but a biased tirade. Why was Eris still affecting him so much after so many years?

After a few minutes of silence, Zelgadiss saw that her mind was clearly elsewhere. He asked quietly, "Hey, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

Realizing that he was talking to her, she looked at him, a little embarrassed, and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Mister Zelgadiss. It's…" She contemplated for a moment and then decided that he didn't need to know about it. "It's nothing, really."

"Really?" he asked again, eying her closely.

Stubbornly, she shook her head. "I'm fine," she reiterated. For a split second, though, Amelia looked as though she wanted to say something more, but her father chose that moment to wander out of his study and into the kitchen.

"Ah, Mister Zelgadiss," he said brightly, though it was clear to Zel that Phil's mood had been anything but that. Amelia either didn't notice, or chose not to acknowledge it. "My daughter tells me that you've had a break in the case?"

He nodded and pushed aside his empty plate.

"Yes, sir," he said, reaching down into his briefcase. He withdrew a stack of pictures, as well as a thick ream of paper. These, he placed on the table before him, and Phil took a seat beside him. "There was just something about this case that didn't add up to me," he began as he spread out the pictures.

Amelia ventured over to the table to see, but rather than sitting down, she opted to stand behind them and look over their shoulders. She placed her hand on the back of his chair and accidentally brushed his shoulder, sending a shiver up his neck. Zelgadiss fought to return his concentration to the point he was trying to make.

"Er… well, the first two notes were sent to you and Naga separately, exactly one month apart, but the content was the same: '_Watch your back'_. A month later, another note: '_Don't tell anyone'._ And one to Naga a week later: '_What glitters will be gone'._"

"She tightened security after that," Philionel stated. "She was worried that someone would try to assassinate her."

"It's good that she did, because I have a feeling they might have tried more if she hadn't. I think it was the next one that was the turning point, though: '_No police'_. But you contacted the police anyway, correct?" he asked Phil.

"Well, of course. They hadn't demanded anything, or actually threatened anything yet, so I made a discreet call to the Commissioner asking his advice. That's why it took some time for them to find someone who could do some subtle investigation."

"Yes, it says here that the Captain assigned Anne Artemay on April seventh. On May first, you got another card, but this time, it was different."

Phil looked at him. "How so? Same ordinary paper, same ordinary cut out letters…"

"But the _intent_ was different, sir." Zelgadiss handed him a picture of the letter.

'_Someone you care about will be hurt'._

"Until this point, they had been short but precise: _warning_, but not _threatening_. After this, I was hired on to protect Amelia because of the intent behind this last letter."

"But that doesn't mean anything. He could have been escalating things."

"Possibly, but from here on out, things become confusing. If the perpetrator had been escalating the situation, then the letters would have constantly increased in their threats. Instead, some remained the way they had been. They were coming in greater frequency than before, but they were now mixed in intent."

He separated the stack of photos into two piles. "Warning," he said indicating the pile on the left, "and Threatening," he said indicating the pile on the right. "I believe these were from two different people. Whoever the person was who sent the initial letters, I think they didn't mean your family any real harm. Their actions were done in secrecy. I believe the second person was Dilgear. His actions were overt, and resulted in people getting sent to the hospital."

Again, he felt Amelia's light touch on his shoulder, but this time, it remained there, and he found comfort in the contact. After all, he had been one of those who had been sent to the hospital.

"I checked the airline manifests for the weeks before and after the second type of letters showed up, and it matches up almost perfectly," he said, indicating the ream of paper, printed with hundreds of names and seat numbers. As he flipped the pages, circled and highlighted names and dates could be seen. "The ones that were sent from Atlas city, Dilgear (or 'Dylan Geary', as he was going by at the time) was there during that time. Same goes for the letters from Saillune."

"So what does this tell us?"

"The point of all this, is that someone in the police department is _not_ on our side. Someone gave Dilgear information on a highly sensitive case and its contents. Now, I can't say who, exactly, because I don't have any evidence. I could easily say that it was Detective Artemay, but other than the fact that she was the officer assigned to the case, I have nothing else. It could go as high up as the Captain, or, who knows, even the Commissioner…"

"But, what about the original letters?" Amelia asked, finally speaking after the long explanation. "And the one I just got? What are they warning us about?"

"Maybe what's already happened. And maybe what still might happen. I have to do more digging. But I think it's important for us to find out who this person is, because they seem to have been trying to warn you that something was going to occur."

"So, they're on our side?"

"I don't think there's necessarily a 'side'. If they had just wanted to warn you about something simple, why didn't they just call you or send in an anonymous tip? I think that whoever it is, didn't want the police to quite know what was going on, for obvious reasons, now. No, whatever it is, I think it might be something that is more sensitive than we think."

"Daddy, is there anything like that? Are you working on anything that someone might need to warn you about?"

Phil paused for a split second before shaking his head. "No. Nothing that… no."

Zelgadiss caught the hesitation in his voice and wondered what Phil was hiding. Amelia, however, seemed content with her father's declaration and nodded her head. Zel wondered if she ever considered the possibility that her dear father would ever lie to her.

"Well, then maybe you should check the flight records for the first group of pictures," she suggested.

Zelgadiss inwardly groaned. "Thing is, Amelia," he explained, "there's over a year's worth of flight records that we would have to check, and this time, I don't have a name that I'm already looking for. The stack would be…" He raised his hand above the table as high as it could go.

"Then I'll help," she said determinedly. Before she could launch into a long speech, however, Zelgadiss forestalled her by asking for a small bowl of ice cream.

She frowned for a second and then returned to the refrigerator.

The second she was out of earshot, Zel turned to Philionel and said in a low voice, "Sir, I need to speak with you privately. When would be a good time for me to stop by your office?"

Taken aback, Phil blinked. "Uh, I'm in court all this and next week. Call my office to set something up in a couple of weeks," he whispered back.

Zel nodded, and though he would have liked to speak with him sooner, it would have to do. He glanced back at Amelia. "She doesn't need to know everything at the moment," he explained. She was digging into the ice cream carton, and scooping out two spheres of pink into the awaiting bowl. "This way, you can speak about things more freely."

Phil stood and clapped Zelgadiss on the shoulder. "I'm glad I have you on this case, son," he said seriously. He nodded at him and then returned down the hallway to his study.

Zelgadiss began stowing away all of the papers and pictures back in his briefcase when Amelia placed the bowl of ice cream before him.

"Thank you," he said, though he didn't really feel like eating dessert. Of course, he couldn't just tell her that he had only asked for it because he wanted a quick quiet word with her father. He ate it anyway.

"Hey, can I pick you up at six o'clock next Saturday? There's this little restaurant near the theater that we can go to for dinner."

"Sure," she agreed, visibly perking up. He figured that she probably just wanted to talk about something other than this whole threat to her family.

"It's something different, but I've read good reviews about it. They serve crepes."

"_Crepes?_ Aren't those pancakes? For dinner?" She appeared appalled at the thought.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, but apparently they serve 'savory and sweet crepes'… I figured it would be interesting at least." He looked dejected.

After a moment, Amelia smiled and then laughed. "Well, I think it's a great idea. You've got to try new things in life, right?"

"Yeah…" Zelgadiss let out a deep breath. He hadn't even noticed that he had been worried about her. A rush of affection welled up inside him, and he thought briefly of touching her hand, just to assure her that he cared. Before he could give in to his impulse, though, he tore his eyes away from her quickly.

"Ah, well, thanks for dinner," he said to cover his lapse in resolve. He glanced up at the clock and realized that it was nearly ten. "I'd better get going: it looks like everyone is winding down tonight."

He noticed her disappointment, but picked up his things anyway. She walked him to the door as usual, and he felt the awkwardness creep up on them once again. She beat him to it, though, giving him a quick hug before he could react.

"Good night, Mister Zelgadiss. Drive safe," she said before releasing him.

Giving him a bright smile, she opened the door for him and waved before she closed and locked it behind him. He heard beeping as she armed the newly installed alarm system.

"_Good girl_," he thought, glad that she was taking her safety seriously. As he walked back to his car, he couldn't help the smile that found its way to his face.

oOoOoOo

"What are you doing here on this fine morning, Seyruun?" Gaav asked as he sat back in his chair, the phone cord stretched as far as it could.

The rain had finally let up for once, and sunlight was streaming thought the small windows at the top of the thick concrete walls of the visiting room, illuminating his bright red hair. Clad in the same type of orange jumpsuit that he wore on a daily basis, it was as if his whole being was set on fire. He smiled hugely, his bright white teeth seemingly out of place in such a dark and fiery visage.

He continued, "I feel so privileged. A new week and a new guest. How have you been?"

Christopher frowned at the burly prisoner on the other side of the bullet proof glass. Although Gaav was being very genial, he knew that there was nothing welcoming behind the kind words.

"Not as well as we should be," he said, getting right to the point. "The timing of this has been very bad."

"Timing?" Gaav asked, looking up and tapping his finger to his lips. Then, his face lit up in mock surprise and he grinned. "Oh, yes, of course! It was the anniversary of dear Vicky's death a few days ago, right? It's been, what, ten years now?"

"You know very well that it was," he answered. "You need to give us more…"

"More???" Gaav laughed, cutting him off. "I've given you all that you need. You're a smart man, Seyruun. Get me all that I want, and you'll get all that you want. What is it you lawyer-types call it? 'Quid pro quo' or something like that? Don't like it, then have_ him_ come down and talk to me himself, instead of sending you to be his messenger boy."

"You know that's not an option." Agitated, he tugged on his moustache.

Gaav leaned forward, lowering his voice to a growl. "Look here. I don't _have_ to give up any of this information. I'm quite comfortable here; three square meals a day, exercise, TV, comfortable bed... But I'd still rather be out. Now, if you don't first get rid of that mandate that limits my son from visiting, then I don't have any reason to give you anything more. Who knows? Maybe I'll have to go elsewhere to get what I need, and you don't like that option, do you?"

Christopher clenched his hand around the handle of the phone. The prisoner had him right where he wanted, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was a good lawyer, but this was getting out of his control. Maybe he would have to bow to Gaav's wishes and have _him_ come in to see him.

"I'll see what I can do," he said meekly.

"Good man. It seems like you know who's in charge here. After all, we _both_ know that your stupid little brother didn't kill Victoria Seyruun..."

oOoOoOo

A/N: I'm sorry to everyone for taking so long to get this next chapter out. I had an issue with motivation… and the length. Actually, it ended up being close to 45 pages, so I had to cut it in half, so that's good news; I have much of the next chapter already written. Thank you to Alexi Moonshine, Jesphoenix, and Steph for re-motivating me. I'm still working on this story, as well as the side stories, so thank you all for remaining with me!

For those of you who know hockey, the game ended in a tie because this takes place in 2004, before the league instituted the shootout to end tied games after the lockout year. I actually came up with the idea of Amelia shouting for the Hammer of Justice while I was at a Ducks/Wings game (my Ducks won by lowering the boom on the Wings), and I thought it was so funny that I _had_ to include it. It was one of those impulses that I can't do in real life, so I just live vicariously through my characters. ;)

Again, I want to thank each and every one of you who've read and reviewed. I appreciate all your comments and your support! _Hugs_!

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	36. Goodnight and Go

Disclaimer: Slayers, Fruits Basket and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 36**

_**Goodnight and Go**_

"I'll be back later tonight, okay Amelia?" Philionel said as he removed his jacket from the coat rack. He appeared so much older than he really was; Amelia could see several grey hairs amidst the jet black, and his face was gaunt and drawn, as if he was not sleeping properly…

"Okay, Daddy. Where are you going?"

"I've got some work to catch up on at the office. Don't worry. I'll be back in time for dinner."

Amelia frowned. "You've been working way too much lately. You need to take it easy, especially now."

He hugged her tightly, and then explained, "Your sister voiced her opinion to me as well. I'll tell you what I told her. Justice cannot sleep, daughter, and neither can I. We all must answer her call when she beckons!"

"But…!" she began, fully ready to pout until she got her way.

"Excuse me, Mister Phil, Amelia. We should go soon, Sir," Beth said, interrupting. She already had her coat on and her car keys in her hand.

"Yes. I'll be right there, Beth." When he nodded at her, she went to wait by the back door. He gazed down at his daughter with loving eyes. "I am a very lucky man to have such caring daughters. But justice awaits. I'll be back for dinner."

Amelia sighed and nodded. "Okay, Daddy. Be safe. I love you!"

"I love you, too."

He departed with Beth, and Amelia couldn't help but feel bad about him working so much. She hoped that there really wasn't anything that he was working on that was the cause of their troubles, but even if there was, surely Zelgadiss would tell her. After all, he told her that he would let her know what was happening from now on, and she was even trying to help him pore through all those airline records. She decided that no matter what the cause, they'd get through it because justice would win out!

She lowered the fist that was raised in her excitement, and looked around at the quiet house. She wondered where Jordan was. She checked his room, but it was empty, and his wallet and keys were gone. Then she remembered that he was off on a date with his girlfriend to watch a movie, and she couldn't help but feel a little jealous that even _he_ was going out with someone.

Amelia realized that she was all alone.

She whistled for her puppy while she turned on the television in the kitchen. Ginger lifted her head and looked up from her bed and yawned, and then lowered her head and remained where she was. Amelia opened the refrigerator and pulled out the lunch meat to make herself a sandwich, not that she was really hungry, but she needed something to do. She had always found that when she was by herself, listening to music or watching television as she ate something seemed to soothe her nerves; after all, Amelia hated being alone.

As she pulled two slices of bread from the package, she realized that her puppy hadn't come to her to beg for food.

Well, that was a good thing… right?

"Ginger?" she called, wondering why her dog hadn't even come to greet her. Amelia approached her, and the golden ball of fur wagged its tail, but otherwise didn't move. "Ginger???"

Panicked, she knelt before her and placed a hand on her side, gently petting her. Again, the tail wagged, but she looked up at her master with such pathetic eyes.

"Come on, girl. Get up!" she coaxed, to no avail. Cold dread flooded her chest, and she picked up the phone. She knew what first aid to do with humans, but had absolutely no idea what to do when it came to animals. She found the card and dialed the number for the vet.

"Hello? Yes, I've got a puppy, a golden retriever. Ginger Seyruun… That's S-e-y-r-u-u-n. Oh. I think she's only… Well, I don't know really… Don't you have it there? I think she's maybe twelve weeks old now. _Yes_, she's had all her shots… Well, she's just lying down in her bed. She's not doing anything. Usually, she's very active and it's hard to get her to stay in one place. Well, I've called her, but the only thing she does is wag her tail. What do I do?"

She answered the questions that the receptionist asked, worrying more and more as the person sounded increasingly concerned. She listened to the instructions, nodding and scribbling down notes on a pad of paper. Finally, she hung up the phone and picked it up again. After dialing a number, she waited for a few moments before hanging up.

"Shoot. Jordan's probably in the movie theater now… Miss Lina's working, Miss Beth won't be home for another hour or so, and Mister Zelgadiss is out with Mister Xelloss and Mister Gourry… Maybe I can…"

Ginger whimpered, and Amelia immediately dialed his number. It went directly to voicemail, so she hung up. "Dammit!" Wracking her mind for other options, she ruled out using her motorcycle. Not only was it not what she was supposed to do, there was no way she could bring her dog to the vet that way. She took out her cell phone and scrolled through the numbers, and each one, she quickly ruled out. Finally, she came across one that was close enough that if he was available, he could get to her house in fifteen minutes…

"_Hello?_"

"Chad?"

"_Amelia??? What's up?_"

"I'm sorry for calling. Are you busy right now?"

"_No. I was about to go running, but it can wait_."

"Can I ask you for a favor…?"

Twenty minutes later, Amelia was sitting in her ex-boyfriend's car, cradling her ailing puppy as they drove to the veterinarian. She knew that it was asking a lot, but he was kind enough to come to her aid without asking many questions, and within the half hour, she was signing in at the front desk of the vet's office. They were asked to wait in the lobby while the doctor ran some tests and examined the dog. Amelia sat beside Chad, nervously wringing her hands.

"So, no one was able to give you a ride?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah," she answered, wiping her hands on her jeans. "Miss Beth gave Daddy a ride to work and Jordan was on a date. Everyone else was either working or unavailable…"

"And I was the last one you could think of?" he wondered, and Amelia felt awful.

"I'm so sorry, Chad. I guess I shouldn't have…"

He laughed. "Aw, don't worry about it. You know I'd help you out if you ever needed it. After all, I still owed you from when you came over to clean up my apartment. I was just wondering if you were having problems with your family or that guy again."

"Oh, no. Nothing like that at all. I guess it's just way past time I got my own car back from the body shop. They're almost finished with it. I think they just need to get the chrome parts plated… oh… not that you'd be interested in that, I guess."

She realized that she was starting to babble again, and she abruptly stopped. Chad glanced sideways at her, and she avoided eye contact by looking around the waiting room. There were not many people in the waiting room, but the few that were there appeared as anxious as Amelia felt. Sure, she had only had her puppy for a few weeks, but she had already become attached to the animal. If anything was really wrong with her…

"Um… hey, you aren't crying, are you?"

Amelia wiped at her face. "Oh, I guess you think it's stupid for me to be so emotional about an animal, right?"

He shook his head. "No. I had two dogs of my own, remember?"

"That's right," she said, brightening up. "What happened to them?"

"My mom had my aunt take care of them when we moved, but now that my parents have moved to the island, they took them back. The apartment they have over there allows pets, so they decided to bring them along."

"Your parents moved to Wolfpack Island?"

"Yeah. They decided to move after Christmas, so it's just me at the apartment now."

"Isn't that lonely?" she wondered. She didn't know if she'd be able to live by herself, without at least one roommate.

"Naw, it's okay. I make enough money to pay for it myself, so I don't really have to depend on my parents. I just want them to make enough to get back on top of their finances and not worry about me. And besides, I like having the privacy when I'm _not_ alone, you know what I mean?" he finished, leadingly.

Amelia looked at him blankly. "Well, I guess…"

He paused before asking, "You _do_ know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

She thought about it for a moment and then blushed. "Oh. So you have a girlfriend, then?"

He smirked, clearly satisfied with himself. "Well, I'm not sure if I'm that serious about her, but we've gone on a few dates. What about you? Are you seeing that guy now, or did you wise up and dump him?"

"'That guy?' Who are you talking about?"

"Not that green-haired guy or that lawyer bastard. The other one, from the Citadel. You know, I think he broke your heart?"

"Oh. We're just really close friends," she explained, but before she could get very far, he stopped her.

"Well, I just hope you're happy," he said. "You deserve to be happy, Amelia. It seems that when I've seen you recently, it's like you're going through some rough stuff. He'd better treat you right."

She smiled and placed her hand on his. "Thank you. I hope you're happy, too, you know."

He smirked. "Well, I can't complain. Things are going good. And even though those thugs took my wallet, there weren't any unauthorized charges, and my identity hasn't been stolen, so that's good, huh?"

Amelia frowned. "I guess, but… If they wanted your money and your wallet so much, why didn't they even try to use any of that information?"

"You know, I've been wondering about that, too. What if that wasn't what they really…"

"Amelia?" A deep voice addressed her, cutting off what Chad was going to say. She looked up and was extremely surprised to see Zelgadiss standing there before her, looking rather ominous.

"Mister Zelgadiss? What are you doing here?" She pulled her hand back to her lap. His eyes followed her movements, and she had to remember that she wasn't doing anything wrong.

"I saw that I missed your call. Why didn't you leave me a message?"

"Well, I knew that you were with your friends, and I didn't want to bother you. And I needed a ride here quickly. Everyone else was busy."

He looked around, pointedly ignoring Chad. "Is Ginger okay?" he asked.

"The vet hasn't come out yet to let me know," she said, looking up at him.

Chad interrupted their conversation. "How did you know she was here if she didn't leave a message?" he asked.

Amelia didn't want to explain that Zelgadiss could track her position by her watch, but she didn't have to since Zel glared down at him and answered for her. "It wasn't hard to figure out. Beth said that the dog wasn't there and that the card for the vet was on the counter when she got home."

"Oh. So, you're like a detective or something?" he asked, and Amelia kicked him. He grinned and turned to her. "Did you still want me to wait with you?"

She seemed undecided for a moment, and then Zelgadiss answered for her. "I can take her home."

"Is that okay with _you_?" Chad asked Amelia, checking to make sure that she was okay with it. After all, Zelgadiss _was_ being a little pushy.

"Yes," she answered, not really wanting either of them to get into a pissing contest. All she wanted was to make sure her dog was okay.

"Alright then," he said, standing up and picking up his jacket. "Give me a call later and let me know how your dog's doing, okay?"

She smiled at him. "Sure. Thanks again, Chad. I really appreciate your help." When Chad left, Zelgadiss settled himself into the empty seat. She turned to him. "And I appreciate your concern, Mister Zelgadiss, but you really didn't need to come. I was able to find a ride by myself, you know."

"You know that I would have driven you…"

"Well, the call went directly to voicemail, so I had to find someone else to bring us here."

"Then you should have left your cell phone on."

She fished her phone out of her purse and noticed that it was dead. "Sorry," she muttered. Not exactly quite sure why she was irritated, she crossed her arms and sighed. She supposed it was because she was worried about her puppy, but there were other things that were rubbing her the wrong way. Why did it seem that everyone was in a real relationship (even one that was probably merely physical, like Chad's) except for her? And why was Zelgadiss acting like a jealous boyfriend when he wasn't any such thing?

Her thoughts were interrupted when the exam room door opened and the veterinarian came out with Ginger in his arms. Amelia immediately stood and went to see them.

"How is she, Doctor A? What's wrong with her? Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, she'll be fine," the vet said, handing the dog to her owner. "She's got a bad ear infection, so we cleaned out her ears and gave her an antibiotic shot. It looks like she's feeling better already."

Sure enough, Ginger's tail was wagging furiously and she licked Amelia's face happily. Zelgadiss appeared at Amelia's side and pat the dog on the head, and she turned to lick his fingers as he pet her. Then he accepted her from Amelia when she went to the desk to pay.

"You'll need to put three drops of this into each ear twice a day, once in the morning, and once at night," the vet was explaining to her, showing her a thin bottle with a long spout. Then he handed her a bottle of pills. "And she gets one of these twice a day as well, once in the morning, and once at night. Continue both for the next ten days, even if she looks like she's returning to normal, okay?"

Amelia nodded, examining both containers and making mental notes to herself as the doctor continued to give her instructions on cleaning the dog's ears. She paid for the visit and thanked the doctor, the tech and the receptionist, and accepted Ginger back from Zelgadiss. The puppy put her paws up on Amelia's shoulder and rested her head in the crook of her neck, as she supported the dog's body with her arms. Ginger sighed, her tail wagging happily.

As they walked out to his car, Zelgadiss took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hi, Beth?" he said, and Amelia began to feel guilty again. "Yes, she's fine. We'll be back in a few minutes. Okay. You're welcome."

"Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss. I guess I should have left a note or something." He opened the door for her and she eased herself down into the seat, gently holding her dog. Ginger began sniffing at the center console, and Amelia pulled her back to her lap.

"She's not going to pee in my car, is she?" Zelgadiss asked when he sat down.

"No. She's just checking things out," Amelia laughed.

He smirked. "Good. I'd hate to throw her out the window if she does," he said, and she slapped his arm. "You know I'm kidding. I'm glad that she's okay." He reached over and ruffled the fur on the dog's golden head.

"I'm sorry, baby," Amelia crooned, scratching behind her ears. "I need to make sure your ears are clean from now on, huh?" Ginger licked her cheek.

"You were really worried about her, huh?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Of course. Wouldn't you be?"

He thought for a moment. "I suppose so."

"Didn't you ever have a dog when you were little?"

"When I was younger, yeah. But after my parents died, I couldn't have one. My gra… I couldn't have one," he repeated and then was silent. Amelia for once didn't try to talk to fill up the silence since he was seemingly lost in his thoughts.

Amelia wondered what he was thinking about. It sounded like he was about to talk about his grandfather, and she didn't even want to bring him up to ask. The man was clearly still a sore subject to Zelgadiss, though it had been years since those events had happened. He was always so sensitive when it came to anything concerning his grandfather or Eris.

Eris…

She wondered what was so great about Eris that she had ruined him for anyone else. But then of course, there was the whole business about him not wanting to hurt anyone he cared about. Was it really that simple, or was there something more? At times, it seemed as if he could care less about the woman, but at others, it seemed as if he were obsessed with hating her. And sure, it could be said that Zelgadiss was consumed with Amelia now (especially with the way in which he had come to her 'rescue' today), but was it really her or was it this job of keeping her safe?

If he was really interested in her, then he'd want to do other stuff with her, instead of just protecting her and making sure she was safe, right? Well, he had asked her to go with him to the musical on Saturday, so maybe he _was_ interested in becoming closer?

"Were you going to go back to see your friends once you drop me off?" she asked when he turned up her street, fully expecting him to say yes.

Curiously, though, he shook his head, and her hopes momentarily lifted.

Momentarily…

"Actually, I've got some errands to run. And since Beth's home, can I drop you off without worrying about you again?"

For some reason, that just irritated her, but she figured it was just because she had been worried about her puppy that she was so on edge. Though she tried not to let it bother her, she found herself saying, "I'm not a child, you know."

"Sorry. I'm doing it again, aren't I?" he said as he pulled into the driveway and parked. She nodded. "I'm sorry. Can I make it up to you?"

"You know you can't keep buying my forgiveness. That's… really… unjust." She poked him in the ribs with each word, and he tried to squirm out of her reach. She finally laughed.

"Who said anything about buying something?" he grinned as he grabbed her wrist, preventing her from poking him again. He pulled her close and said in a low voice, "I was thinking about something else…"

Amelia found herself blushing, but then Ginger barked at them and he let her go, looking a bit red in the face himself. He turned his attention to the dog and placed his hand on her head, patting her gently. "And you, you little brat. Don't be a problem for her, okay?" She licked his hand happily.

"Thanks for giving me a ride, Mister Zelgadiss. Are you sure you didn't want to come inside for a bit?" she asked as she corralled her dog, who was trying her hardest to wander over to Zelgadiss.

"No, that's okay, Amelia. I'd better go. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, and that was that.

She smiled and nodded, and holding Ginger carefully, she got out of his car and said goodbye. He waited until she entered the house before he departed, and Amelia was left feeling confused and a little troubled over their strange encounter. She supposed it didn't matter; her pup's health was more important at the moment.

oOoOoOo

Amelia closed her closet door and looked at herself in the mirror. She frowned at the reflection. Again.

Of the five dresses that her sister had given her to try on, only two were long enough to be considered 'evening gowns'; the other three were _well_ above the knees. And of the two that she could use for the theater and the ball, the more conservative would have to be the one that she would be wearing to the Mayor's mansion; after all, she would be there representing her cousin and her father…

So that left this one.

Apparently, this was Gracia's very own "gravity-defying" design. The shiny pinkish material was thicker than she thought it would be, but still thin enough that it clung to her, not concealing very much. It was a strapless little number with a v-cut neckline that plunged to dangerous levels, and sloped down to an extremely low-cut back. There was a flexible, but strong, boning material sewn into the dress to keep it, as well as Amelia's well-endowed frame, in place. At least, that was the idea. Now that she was wearing the thing and moving around, she wasn't too confident in her sister's ability to defy gravity.

The skirt wasn't as bad as it could have been, but Amelia still wasn't too sure about a long dress that was as short as a mini-skirt in the front. The ruffled form helped to partially hide her legs, but only if she remained standing. The second she would sit, though, she might as well be wearing one of the other dresses. Between the low-cut back and the high hem in the front of the dress, she felt as if she needed to lean forward in order to make sure the dress stayed on her.

Amelia wondered what was worse: worrying that she would fall out of her dress, worrying that her dress would fall off of her, worrying what her father would say if he saw her tonight, or worrying that all of these would happen in front of Zelgadiss.

At least Gracia had had a brief thought about Amelia's feelings. She decided to leave her a cream-colored furry wrap that covered much of her risqué attire. There _had_ been a floor-length cape that had been designed specifically for the dress, but Amelia staunchly refused to wear a cape with epaulets and a floating collar.

If there was something she _did_ like about the dress, though, it was the fabric. Silvery winged serpents were woven into the opalescent pink fabric, and though the construction of the dress gave her pause, the material was strong and surprisingly breathable. It moved with her and didn't hinder her steps, something she dreaded given the length. If she could get through tonight without tripping on her dress, she would be very happy.

Her mother's silver jewelry, minus the broken bracelet, complemented her outfit well, and her strappy silver heels and small clutch purse completed the look.

Sighing again, Amelia wrapped the fur around her and steeled herself to go downstairs to await Zelgadiss' arrival. When she stepped into the living room, Beth took one look at her, and Amelia held up her hand.

"I know. I know… If Gracia hadn't asked me to wear one of her dresses, I wouldn't have. She's always so… so…"

Beth smiled and said, "Risqué? That's okay, dear. If it's any consolation, you look better than one of her models. I know I'm biased, but just you see how Mister Zelgadiss thinks you look," she finished with a wink.

Amelia blushed, despite herself. "He should be here any minute," she said, more to herself than to Beth. Jordan came wandering out of his room, took one look at her, and went to sit down on the couch, shaking his head.

"What's that for?" Amelia asked, but she already had a feeling she knew the answer.

"You're sister's nuts," he explained. Then he grinned. "But I've _got_ to see what happens when Zel gets here."

"Oh, you stop!" she protested, getting even redder. She couldn't help being embarrassed; after all, she didn't realize her feelings for Zelgadiss had been so transparent to everyone else. "What time did Daddy say he was going to be home?" she asked, to take the attention from herself.

"Your Uncle will be dropping him off at six thirty, so you'll just miss him."

"I just don't understand why he's been working so much lately," she muttered, though she was grateful that he wouldn't be there to see her off. He had been working late almost every night and recently even on weekends. Even her sister had tried to get him to cut back on his hours. She wanted to ask him about what he was doing, but he always seemed so tired that she didn't want to bother him.

Amelia was distracted from her thoughts when the doorbell rang. Before she could step towards the door, however, Beth had already opened it and allowed their guest inside.

"Hello, Mister Zelgadiss. You look very dashing," Amelia commented as he stepped past the housekeeper. He was dressed in a black tuxedo that was cut to fit him perfectly. His jacket appeared to shimmer in the light, but Amelia couldn't make out the design. She made a mental note to take a closer look later.

Zelgadis seemed to glide as he entered the house, but he stopped short upon seeing his date.

"…"

To say that he was speechless was being kind: he was absolutely floored. Amelia was beautiful, of course. He had seen her dressed up for her prom and again for her birthday, and she was breathtaking even then. Tonight, though, he found her absolutely stunning. It wasn't even that she was wearing something that was obviously _White Serpent_ in design; she was glowing as she smiled at him.

"You… you look great," was all he could say once he found his voice.

"Thank you. Shall we leave then?" she asked, almost too hurriedly.

"Wait," Beth said, stopping them and giving Amelia a chiding look. "Let me take your picture first. Your father would want to see how beautiful you look."

Before either of them could protest, she had lined them up in the curve of the stairs and beckoned Jordan to fetch the camera. Zelgadiss stood nervously beside Amelia, who clutched her wrap close to her small frame, but when Jordan raised the camera to take their picture, Beth impatiently motioned for them to get closer. Zelgadiss moved just an inch, but when they bumped into each other, his hand instinctively went around her waist.

_Click._

"Tell Daddy not to wait up. We're off!" Amelia said, and ushered Zelgadiss out the door before Beth could talk them into more pictures. "I'm sorry about that," she explained as they walked down the steps to his Mustang. "I didn't think it would be such a production."

"That's okay. I should have thought of it myself." He actually had wanted a picture of them together… as friends, of course…

He opened the door for her and for a moment, she hesitated before stepping inside and sitting down gingerly. "Are you alright?" he asked when he sat down and started the car.

"Hmm? Of course. I'm really excited to be going."

"Okay." He was looking at her oddly, and then as if he had just decided on something, he reached into the back seat. "Here, I got you something."

He handed her a rectangular velvet box, and she glanced up at him curiously. "What's this?"

He grinned. "Just open it."

Opening the box, she gasped, hardly believing what she was seeing. It was a delicate gold tiara, with thin arches, increasing in height towards the center. Pearls topped the middle three arches, and within the center one, was set a large brilliant sapphire. What in the world…?

"I figured a princess needs a crown, right? This was my mother's. I figured she wouldn't have minded if I let a _real_ princess borrow it."

"Mister Zelgadiss… I…"

"Just wear it. It will look great on you."

Unable to argue with him when he had spent so much time thinking about it, Amelia carefully removed it from its velvet case and placed it cautiously on her head. She checked her reflection in the visor mirror. It felt strange wearing a tiara, but angling it like a hair band, it didn't appear so imperious.

"How's that?" she asked.

He reached over and adjusted it a bit, and then declared it, "Perfect." Before she even had time to blush, his demeanor changed, and he said abruptly, "Well, let's go now."

The restaurant where they ate dinner was interesting, to say the least. They were met by two overly effusive waiters, but whether they were fawning over them because that was their job or if it was because of Amelia's flirty attire, Zelgadiss had no idea. The incident with Chad fresh in his mind, he put a possessive hand on her elbow as they were shown to their table and shot the men several warning glares before they pulled their eyes back into their heads. Several other patrons were watching them a bit more surreptitiously, but it didn't seem to bother him as much as it usually would. In fact, he was more than proud that he had such an attractive date…

_Date_…

The food was very good, but the servings left Amelia wanting more, even after having a spinach, mushroom and artichoke crepe, splitting a ham and cheese crepe with Zelgadiss, and single-handedly eating one of the strawberries and cream dessert crepes. In addition to the ham and cheese that he split with Amelia, Zelgadiss also had a red onion, feta cheese and steak crepe. He accepted a bite of her dessert, and then contented himself with a very good cup of French roast coffee.

As they left, he couldn't help but be amazed at her ability to eat so much and not look as if she had eaten a thing. She seemed to be a bit more comfortable in her dress than she had been when he picked her up. She even abandoned trying to cover herself with the fur wrap and allowed it to drape from her elbows.

He swallowed hard.

This was going to be a long night.

oOoOoOo

"The Phantom of the Opera" was popular whenever it came to town, so it was hardly surprising that there was a long line to valet park their car on opening night. In fact, there was even a red carpet and paparazzi line.

"Can we just park and walk in?" Amelia asked, and Zelgadiss was never more grateful for her thoughtfulness. He pulled around the line and continued on until he saw the sign for self-park. He turned in to the parking garage and wove his way through the maze of cars.

"Sorry. I didn't want us to have to go very far, but…"

"Oh, that's okay. I don't mind walking if you don't."

Once they found a parking spot and walked up to the theater, it was apparent that they would still have to travel through the herd of people crowding the front of the building. As they strode down the walkway, Zelgadiss began to feel a little self-conscious, but Amelia took his arm and fell into step beside him. By the time they arrived at the line of people waiting to get inside, his discomfort was forgotten as he turned his attention to issuing warning glances to the various people ogling his companion.

"It's okay, Mister Zelgadiss. They're just looking at my sister's dress. She does have a great habit of creating the newest fashion trends."

"Actually, they're looking at the girl in the dress," he muttered to himself, though he did hear several people whispering, "_…White Serpent…_"

Well, maybe he _was_ being a little jealous. He couldn't help it, though. When he had found her the other day at the vet, and she was holding her ex-boyfriend's hand, well… it just made him realize that she was still very available, and that he didn't have any kind of a claim to her. Of course, they already spent a lot of time together, but that wasn't really a reassuring thought, especially when people still stared at her even when he _was_ with her.

Once they got through the line and arrived at the front doors, they handed their tickets to the attendant with the scanner.

"To the right, one flight up. You'll see the door to the box seats on your left," he instructed.

"Thank you!" Amelia gave him a smile, and set off into the theater, taking Zelgadiss' hand as she went.

She led him through the crowd of people milling around the lobby, schmoozing and hobnobbing. They were all wearing the latest fashions, even a few of the fall White Serpent dresses. Those women eyed Amelia with envy as she passed them by, but she didn't stop long enough for them to admire the dress or denounce the wearer.

Amelia paused at a kiosk and requested a program, which Zelgadiss paid for, and then continued on up to the stairs. She released his hand, and very carefully walked up the steps, taking care to hold onto the handrail.

"Are you feeling okay?" Zelgadiss asked once they reached the top step. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" she said, once again taking his arm and looking around for the door they needed to find.

"Well, you've been very tentative about getting in and out of the car and again going up these steps. Are you alright?"

"Oh…" How was she supposed to tell him that she was afraid she was going to trip or fall or do something that would expose herself? "Oh… well, I guess I'm not really comfortable wearing this dress. I don't want to fall, you know?"

Zelgadiss smirked. "Well, I think you wear it well," he said, sort of hoping to see her blush. Sure enough, she rewarded him by flushing a pretty shade of pink. "Here we are."

They arrived at a door that led to the private box seats, and they showed the usher their tickets. He let them inside, and showed them up a short flight of steps to their box. Behind the door was a dark alcove, and Amelia stopped short, her eyes not able to adjust quickly enough to the darkness. Zelgadiss bumped into her, sending her forward towards the heavy curtain, but he caught her around her waist before she fell.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling her back upright. "You okay?"

Amelia passed her hands over her dress, making doubly sure that it was still in place. As she did so, she realized that his arm was still around her middle, holding tight, and her knees suddenly became very weak.

"Um…"

"Amelia?" he breathed in her ear. Goosebumps raced up her arms.

"I… I'm fine," she whispered, half-expecting his lips to brush her cheek. She didn't make a motion to pull away from him, but his arm relaxed, and she had no choice but to take a step forward. "I couldn't see anything in here," she laughed nervously, pasting a smile on her face, though she wasn't sure if Zelgadiss could see her.

"That's okay. Just step carefully. There's a curtain up ahead that's blocking the light," he explained, and he took her elbow and led her forward. "I don't understand why it's closed right now. I thought it was supposed to stay open until the show starts…"

He had just pulled back the curtain when they were assaulted by light, sound, and…

Naga.

"Oh, here they are!" Naga exclaimed when she spotted them, and she immediately stood to greet them. Dressed in a rather conservative (for her) deep purple, skin-tight, sparkly strapless dress and long black gloves, she tossed her black fur wrap carelessly onto her chair. Her companion, dressed in a deep red Chinese-style overcoat trimmed in white fur, had also stood upon their arrival. He had long silvery hair and grey eyes, and something about him seemed vaguely familiar. He seemed as if he was bursting to talk with them, but Naga beat him to it.

"Oh, so I suppose you ended up using the fur instead of the cape, then, did you?" She eyed Amelia critically. "Well, not that it matters, because my accessories match almost everything in my line. It looks good. Now, the dress is a little loose around the waist here," she said, playing with the ruffles, "but overall a good fit. Now, what's with the tiara? It's not one of mine. And it doesn't even match Mom's silver jewelry…"

"Mister Zelgadiss let me borrow it today," Amelia said before her sister could insult her date. "It was his mother's."

"Hmm…" Naga eyed it critically, then looked her sister up and down, and then shrugged her shoulders. "Well, like I said before, White Serpent goes with most anything. And speaking of Mom's jewelry, where's your bracelet?"

Amelia hesitated for the briefest of moments before answering dutifully, "At home. The hinge and the clasp broke."

Naga frowned at her and shook her head. "Get it fixed."

"I know. I know…" Amelia began, but her sister turned her attention to her friend.

"And _you_." Zelgadiss looked as if he wanted to disappear behind the curtain. Naga prevented it by putting her hands on his shoulders, and critically tugging and smoothing out his tuxedo. Before she could let her hands wander below his waist, he gently grabbed her wrists, stopping her.

"I'm not one of your models, Naga."

She huffed as he released her. "Well, you look good, of course. But the cut isn't perfect. I still think you should have let us measure you."

"Hey, I'm wearing it, aren't I?" he grumbled.

"Yes, but there's a difference between wearing a White Serpent and _wearing_ a White Serpent."

Amelia finally chimed in. "Gracia, you're making men's clothes now?"

"I believe that's my cue," Naga's companion buzzed. He advanced on Amelia so quickly that she backed into Zelgadiss, who gently guided her behind him. The gentleman seemed unfazed. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Ayame Sohma, owner and designer of White Snake fashions."

"Wh… White _Snake_?" Amelia wondered.

"Yes. Located at the corner of Main and 12th for seven years now, we specialize in making dreams come true!" His eyes were closed, and a look of pure joy shone on his face. One hand was pressed delicately over his heart while the other was extended out towards them, as if beckoning them to join him in his ecstasy.

"Dreams?" she asked.

Zelgadiss shuffled Amelia behind him just a bit more, well out of the man's reach. He knew the street corner that he was referring to. It was a seemingly innocent business that sold costumes (as well as other paraphernalia) for adult fantasy…

"Interesting that you didn't sue Naga when she came out with White _Serpent_ fashions," he said, trying to change the subject and keep him from having to explain to Amelia what his business was _really_ all about.

Ayame opened his eyes and smiled, nonplussed at Zelgadiss' critical glare.

"Well, the thought had crossed my mind, of course, but she was based out of Atlas City, while Saillune was my humble city of choice, and never the twain shall meet. Or, so I thought. After a couple of years having to deflect customers who wandered into my store to purchase Miss Naga's designs, I decided that action must be taken. Of course, the businesspeople that we are, we saw the infinite possibilities of joining forces to take the fashion world by storm."

This time, he extended his arm straight up and pointed his forefinger at the ceiling.

"I saw the opportunity to expand my reach into the world of high fashion, and your sister saw the opportunity to expand into the delicate world of lingerie. And, we both saw the fabulous opportunity to delve into the world of men's fashion." He lowered his finger to point at Zelgadiss. "You, young man, are the very first to wear a White Serpent tuxedo. And, might I say, you actually wear it quite well."

Zelgadiss could feel his face beginning to get red, and he reacted the first way he knew how.

"You!" he hissed, rounding on Naga. "I had a perfectly good tuxedo at home, but you told me that you didn't want me embarrassing your sister. How is _this_ any different? How did we get roped into being your own private fashion show?"

"That stupid tuxedo that you've been wearing for years is old and pathetic, Zel," Naga said, clearly bored. "With the looks Tes was going to be getting, I couldn't afford to have you in anything so threadbare. This was the perfect occasion in which to spotlight our new men's line. Besides, I didn't try to get you to wear anything from White Snake, did I?"

But then Amelia took his arm and guided Zelgadiss away from her sister and her guest.

"I got the tickets from my sister, Mister Zelgadiss. I didn't know that this was what she had in mind when she gave them to me, and if I had, I wouldn't have asked for them. But we're here now. Can we please try to have a good time, regardless of what they wanted us for?"

"Do you know what his shop is?" he asked, eyeing the other two carefully.

"Yes. I just remembered which one it is. But that doesn't mean that we're connected directly to it. He's a business partner of my sister, and we're wearing decent clothing created by their business. It's not like we're using any of his other stuff, right?" she asked calmly.

He sighed. "You're right. But can I still sit on the end? I don't want to interact with him any more than I have to."

She smiled. "Don't worry. I'll deflect for you."

"Thank you," he said gratefully, and he settled into the seat beside the wall.

Naga rolled her eyes at him and relaxed into her seat closest to the audience, where she could be in full view of the theater. That left Amelia and Ayame to sit beside each other, something Zelgadiss was not at all happy with, especially when Amelia's dress bared her legs when she sat down.

"So, my dear Amelia," he began, much to Zel's displeasure. "I hear from my brother that you are one of little Tohru's friends from school."

"Your brother?"

"Of course. Yuki Sohma is my precious little brother. I would love to have seen him in one of our tuxedos beside you tonight, but alas, he staunchly refused, and your sister had said that you already had a date."

"Oh, I didn't know that. I don't know Mister Yuki very well, though."

"I can assure you that if you did, he would instantly become one of your close friends…"

Before he could go on, though, something finally clicked in Zelgadiss' head.

"Sohma?" he asked, to no one in particular.

"Why, yes," Ayame said, glad to have another person he could talk at.

"Are you related to Doctor Hatori Soh…"

Before he could finish the sentence, Ayame stood up, reached across Amelia, and grabbed Zelgadiss' arm.

"You know my dearest friend??? Haa…"

Before he could finish _his_ sentence, Zelgadiss had prized his hand from his arm and shoved it away. He glared daggers at the other man until he lowered himself into his seat, yet Ayame still did not seem bothered by his rudeness.

Placing a calming hand on her date's clenched fist, Amelia leaned forward between them with a strained smile and blurted out, "Oh, look. They're going to start soon."

Thankfully, she was correct. The orchestra had been tuning up while they had been talking, and the lights began to dim. A hush fell over the crowd, and then before long, the curtain rose and the production began with the Auction...

Zelgadiss slackened his grip and opened his hand. Amelia slipped her hand into his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. It was dark, and everyone's attention was on the stage, so he leaned over to her and whispered into her strawberry-scented hair.

"Thank you, Amelia."

She turned to him with a smile, and then returned her attention to the play. Well, even with the third and fourth wheels in the box with them, Zelgadiss was still enjoying himself – of course, he usually enjoyed whatever he happened to be doing if Amelia was around…

For all the times they had both seen the musical, it was still a magical experience for each one. Amelia loved the story, adored the romance and the heartache, and soaked in the lyrics. But now that she was older, she could see how much work and planning went into each show. Each venue was different, and the different aspects of the musical had to be carefully planned out. In fact, the chandelier in the last production she had seen hadn't even fallen to the stage. She was more than pleasantly surprised to find that in _this_ production, the chandelier, in all its glory, would make its harrowing journey to the stage in grand fashion. So, she was paying close attention to the costumes and the effects, the sound and the choreography, and she found that she liked it even more.

Zelgadiss typically enjoyed the spectacle of the performance, appreciated the talent of the actors and actresses, and immersed himself in both the harmony and planned cacophony of the music. His current mood, however, turned his attention to the tale being told. In fact, the basic story was one in which he had always enjoyed. 'Cupid and Psyche' had been one of the more interesting myths that he had read in high school. When he had been whole and unscarred, it was just a story, the closest thing to romance that he would admit taking a liking to. After all, he appreciated the classics, and he had always decided that he merely liked the story because it was a classic. However, after his accident, he found that some of his old favorites took on a new meaning: 'Cupid and Psyche'; 'Beauty and the Beast'; 'Cyrano de Bergerac'; 'Phantom of the Opera'…

Now that the beast had found his beauty, which story would 'Zelgadiss and Amelia' become?

To Amelia's great delight, the chandelier 'crashed' to the stage to end the first act. The lights came up, and she turned a brilliant smile to her companion, who still held her hand gently in his.

"That was so cool," she gushed. "I loved the actress who played Christine. She was able to hit the high notes so well, especially on 'The Phantom of the Opera'. And the actor who played the Phantom was very good. He really showed how sensual 'Music of the Night' was. Oh, but did you see how the boat kind of got stuck near the gate? The actor had to really push with that staff to get it moving again!"

Zelgadiss smiled. "How many times had you seen this before?"

She thought for a moment before saying, "Four."

"Well, I've got you beat. I saw it five times."

"What do you think of _this_ production?"

"So far, it's very good. But I was able to see the original actor who played the Phantom, so I'm probably a little spoiled."

"You did too? I saw him when it was playing here six years ago. Of course, I don't think I appreciated the fact that it was him, but he really was the best…"

Someone behind them cleared her throat, and Amelia jumped in surprise, pulling her hand away quickly as she turned around. Naga was staring down at them, her eyebrow raised.

"Excuse me, Zel. Tes and I need to use the powder room. Come on."

"Sorry, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia whispered as she stood, leaving her wrap behind on her seat.

He watched her follow her sister behind the drawn curtain, and couldn't help but _watch_ her. Damn, she wore that dress well… Of course, without the wrap, he saw just how low the back of her dress went, and he fought the urge to call her back and make her take the fur.

"She's a beautiful young lady," Ayame said, watching them leave as well.

"They both are," Zelgadiss commented, not wanting to give him any more information than was necessary.

"Well, of course. I was merely making a point that you make a lovely couple."

"We're not a couple, and I'm not interested in any of your products," Zel grumbled, hoping to stem any possible conversation the man might bring up.

Ayame merely laughed. "Oh, well, that's too bad. I wasn't trying to sell anything, though. I was just making an unbiased observation." With a smile, he turned his attention to his program.

Okay, so maybe he was jumping the gun and allowing his initial impression of this guy get to him. Knowing how Amelia would want him to act, he swallowed his pride, turned in his seat and stuck out his hand.

"I guess I never properly introduced myself. Zelgadiss Greywords."

Ayame took his hand and shook it heartily. "Pleasure to meet you Mister Greywords. So, tell me how you know my cousin…"

oOoOoOo

The private boxes had a separate set of bathrooms, and Amelia and Naga had just a short walk to go. As they stood in line, the elder sister was whispering to the younger, and the other people were whispering amongst themselves about the two beautiful young women.

"So, are you two a _thing_ now?"

"I think that's Naga herself."

"What are you talking about?"

"The tall one. You know, _White Serpent_?"

"Holding hands?"

"Oh. So who's the other one?"

"We're close friends."

"A friend? I don't think so."

"Give me a break. I thought you kissed."

"Girlfriend?"

"Close friends can kiss without it meaning anything."

"I don't think so."

"Did it mean anything to _you_?"

"Well…"

Amelia supposed that was the real problem. It _did_ mean something to her, even if it didn't to Zelgadiss. She wanted more out of their relationship, but he never even brought up the possibility of being closer than friends. Sure he wanted to get to know her, and sure he wanted to be near her, but did he want more, too?

There were times when he would look at her a certain way, or act a certain way, in which she would believe that he was thinking about being with her the way she wanted to be with him. But, inevitably, his mood would shift, and he would dissociate himself, not being outright cold, but… distant. She couldn't figure out what was going on in his head, and it was difficult not to get bothered by this fact.

She felt as if she were on a Ferris wheel, constantly moving, but never getting anywhere, just going around and around in one big circle… It was almost as bad as standing still; Amelia hated standing still.

Her sister didn't wait for her after using the bathroom, and Amelia decided that she needed to walk around a bit to clear her head. She headed out to the concourse and decided to look around at the souvenirs. There was a large crowd around the booth, and she shuffled around trying to get a look at the t-shirts and CDs. Again, she heard the whispers around her as she tried to mind her own business. Used to the attention, she concentrated on catching the vendor's attention so she could find out the price of a gold-trimmed commemorative mug.

She was so engrossed in her task that she was more than a little surprised when she felt a hand on her back. Her elbow moved before she could think, and she caught the man square in the gut as she turned around. Luckily for Zelgadiss, he was used to her reactions, and had prepared himself for just such a response.

"Oh, Mister Zelgadiss, I'm sorry," she whispered, though the people around them had noticed what had happened and were already chuckling. She placed a comforting hand on his chest, but he just laughed it off, drawing her close as the press of people closed in on them.

"My fault," he coughed, surreptitiously glowering around at the people. "Were you going to get anything?"

She glanced back, and a small opening had formed at the counter. Before she could ask, he stepped forward and caught the vendor's attention.

"What did you want, Amelia?" he asked, pulling her forward.

"How much is the mug?" she asked and was told that it was twenty dollars. She made a face. "Okay. How about the women's t-shirt?"

He informed her that it was twenty five, and Zelgadiss grumbled something incoherent about the exorbitant prices. Sighing, she decided on just the mug and dug into her small purse. She handed the vendor a twenty dollar bill, and then accepted the bag with a grimace before walking away, slightly irritated, and inadvertently leaving Zelgadiss behind.

"Hey, didn't you want the shirt, too?" he asked when he finally caught up with her away from the throng of people. She had walked quickly and determinedly across the concourse, and he had to put his hand on her arm to stop her.

They stood near the railing overlooking the lobby below, and he slowly positioned himself between her and the banister. There was no way he would let anyone get so much as a glance up her skirt if he could help it.

"Oh, that's okay. The mug is enough. All that stuff was just way too expensive to have to wade through that mob." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. When she opened her eyes, she was finally smiling. "So, was it too crowded in the box?"

He smirked, quite interested to see how quickly she released her stress. "Yeah. That guy is a lot to handle," he said.

"I'm so sorry about that," she began. "I knew my sister was going to have a box for opening night, so that's why I asked her if I could have two of the tickets. And when she gave them to me, I had no idea that this was what she had in mind. If I had, I wouldn't have asked her for them."

"No. It's alright. I just wish I knew this was what your sister had in mind when she sent me this tux."

"Well, it _does_ look good on you, by the way," she said slyly, winking at him.

Despite himself, he reddened as he muttered, "Thanks." Deciding that turnabout was fair play, he smirked. "And how about you?" he asked, looking her up and down for really the first time that night. He had always tried to avert his eyes, tried not to stare, but this time, he allowed himself to drink her in. The ruffles of the skirt were causing havoc for him, because they were designed to play peek-a-boo as she walked, and fully reveal her legs when she sat. The skin-tight bodice of the dress was actually an amazing design to be able to provide support with such thin material and virtually no back support. And there was no question that Amelia could fill it out.

His eyes returned to her face, and he was pleasantly surprised to see her cheeks the same shade as her dress. "You really do look great," he said, lightly touching her arm.

"Excuse me," someone said, tapping Zelgadiss on the shoulder. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling, hoping that it was really just his imagination…

_Tap tap._

"Yes?" he said, exasperatedly as he turned around. Just when things were going so well…

"Detective?"

He was surprised to see the records clerk who had always helped him at work. She was standing there in a very pretty green dress, and her hair was down in long curls. Her date was standing beside her in a nondescript black suit eying them both.

"Miss Gordon?"

"Oh. I thought that was you. I didn't know you had tickets for tonight."

"Yeah. My friend Amelia," he brought her forward, "had two tickets."

"Hello," Amelia said, sticking out her hand and shaking the other woman's.

"Hi. I'm Elaine. This is my fiancé, Rudy. I work in the Records office at the police station."

"Nice to meet you. Amelia Seyruun."

"…Oh… Miss Seyruun… Are you…?"

Zelgadiss stepped in and interrupted, "Yes, she is."

Understanding dawned on the young woman's face and she asked, "Is that why you're…?"

He nodded matter-of-factly, and then looked over their shoulders. "Hey, I'm sorry. We've got to get back to our party now. I'll see you on Monday, okay? Oh, and Miss Gordon, don't forget that it's a sealed case," he added in a whisper as he stepped past her. She looked appalled and nodded furiously, but Zelgadiss told her not to worry about it. After quick goodbyes, he ushered Amelia back across the concourse to their box seat entrance.

"We still had time to talk, Mister Zelgadiss."

"I know. I just don't want… well, I'm not that sociable." He opened the door for her, and they stepped into their curtained box.

She laughed. "Well, how are you going to get any better if you don't try it?"

He gave her a strained smile before finding his seat and settling in. Amelia saw that her sister and her companion were chatting with a couple in the next box, so she perused her program as they waited for the second act to start. It was interesting to see how Zelgadiss acted around other people, but she found it odd that he didn't let Elaine finish her sentences. Maybe she had been trying to ask about Amelia and her family's case, and he didn't want her to let anyone know that something was going on with her family. He seemed always to be looking out for her.

She leaned over to him and whispered, "If I forget to tell you, thank you for a wonderful night, even though it was supposed to be my gift to you. And thank you for watching out for me and my sister."

He smiled and patted her hand, but then Naga noticed that they had returned and accosted him, forcing him out of his chair and back into the curtained area.

"Yes, Naga?" he asked, sighing. "I'm not going to go strutting out to show off this thing, you know."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I wasn't really expecting that from you anyway. I'm just glad that you wore it. You really would have looked ridiculous next to her otherwise. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. What's going on with my case?" she whispered fiercely.

"I think there are other more important things going on right now with your family."

"Yes, I know, but that didn't change the fact that you took my case _after_ you were already working on Daddy's. And I've paid you three times already!"

"And you would already know that I haven't cashed any of your checks. I told you that you don't have to pay me until after I solve the case."

"Well, whatever. You still missed a great opportunity the other day to talk to Christopher and ask him questions about it."

"To be honest, I don't really think he had anything to do with your mother's death."

"What???" she almost shrieked, and they both looked nervously at their companions, but Amelia was looking out over the balcony and Ayame was still chatting with the people in the next box. Zelgadiss fought the urge to go over to her and make her sit back down in her seat. Not that he really thought that she would fall over, but… Amelia _did_ have a tendency to take the oddest tumbles at the most inopportune times.

"What would he have to gain by it?" he asked, regaining the thread of their conversation. "If it wasn't a murder-suicide by your other uncle, then what would Christopher have to gain? They had no connection other than relation: no investments, no businesses, and no romances. After her death, he had no monetary, business or personal advantages. If I was him, and I wanted something from your family, I'd probably go after your father. He's the elder brother in a long line of a very influential family. After all, it's not unheard of in your history."

"You think it was about _that_?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all. I'm saying it was probably _not_ your uncle. You said that you were all surrounded by people your family trusts, good friends, family, and business associates at the resort, right? Then, if it wasn't either of your uncles, then it was probably someone else, someone she knew and trusted. The problem is, there were about a hundred people there, and many of them are people your family still has regular contact with. _You_ know that, or you wouldn't have given me information about all those other people who were there. So, I think it's a little more difficult a case than you had originally thought. They're still out there, and they're still close."

She frowned for a moment and then glanced at her sister anxiously. A sudden sinking feeling formed in his gut and he grabbed Naga's arm.

"What does _she_ have to do with this?" he whispered intensely.

"Nothing! Nothing at all," she answered all too quickly, and the knot of fear began to grow.

"Be straight with me, Naga."

She shook her head. "No one, and I mean _no one_, knows anything about her and that night, Zel. So you don't need to, either. Don't ask again, and don't even _think_ about asking her," she added seriously. He had never seen her so resolute before.

"Okay," he allowed, "but if she's in any danger because if this…"

"She won't be as long as no one knows…"

Zelgadiss frowned, but let it go. Every family had its secrets, and he supposed this was one of those times when it was best to leave it be. He wouldn't forget it, though, and decided that he would follow up on it once his main case was over. Of course, he still worried that the two were tied together, but it was merely a hunch, and he had yet to find any concrete evidence that supported his thoughts.

"Fine," he conceded. "What about you? You're taking care to be safe while you're here?" he asked. "There are an awful lot of people out there."

She smiled, and was obviously glad to be changing the subject. "Yes. Bradley is waiting for me out in the lobby. And besides, since I've taken our safety very seriously, I'm experimenting with some interesting fabrics that are tougher than they look. Military grade, actually."

"Really? This dress?" he asked interestedly.

"Yes, it is, and my sister's, too, though she's not wearing the cape that's supposed to protect her back. It may feel and look thin, but the cloth is a mix of natural and synthetic fibers – some high tech stuff my research lab was working on - woven in such a way that it can withstand a twenty-two caliber bullet from ten feet. I'm working on getting it to be more effective from a closer range, but that would mean a thicker fabric."

"Wow. That's amazing, Naga."

"Yes, well, of course I'm amazing! Oh ho ho ho ho ho!" she laughed, walking back to her seat.

"I said, 'that's amazing,' not 'you're amazing' you know," he grumbled, returning to his seat beside Amelia.

"What's amazing?" she asked him.

He smirked. "Your dress."

She blushed again, and he sat back, satisfied.

"So, did my sister ask you about my uncle?" she asked, sounding annoyed.

"Yes."

"Do you think he had something to do with…?"

"No," he answered quickly. "I need to do more research, but right now I've got more important things to worry about." He leaned in close to her. "Yeah, that means you."

She beamed, but then quite suddenly, he composed himself and returned his attention to the stage as the orchestra began playing again. Sighing again, she turned her focus to the show. The second act was full of flash and flair, music and melancholy, love and loss. Amelia sat forward for the entire act, cheering loudly after 'Masquerade' and sniffling by the end of the show. Though Zelgadiss enjoyed all the previous times he had seen the musical, he had never enjoyed it as much as he did tonight. He already knew why that was, but even now, he tried not to acknowledge it.

"Well, we're off," Naga declared, standing up and gathering her things when the lights came up. Ayame was already pulling back the curtain for her. Zelgadiss and Amelia stood to see them off.

"It was nice meeting you Mister Ayame. Good luck on your business."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Amelia. You too, Mister Greywords. I hope to see you both in more of our designs soon," he declared with a flourish of his arm.

Zelgadiss grumbled under his breath, but he merely nodded at the designer. As usual, Naga was talking to Amelia as if she were giving instructions to a subordinate.

"Tes, don't forget your wrap. Tell Daddy I'm fine and that I'll call him tomorrow. And you'd better get Mommy's bracelet fixed, too."

"Yes, Gracia. Stay safe," Amelia said softly, hugging her sister tightly. "Thank you for the dress."

Naga smirked. "Thanks for showing it off so well for me. Zel, don't keep her out too late, okay?" she said, 'kissing' his cheek.

He was glad that she didn't actually make contact with him. Normally, he would have blushed and felt embarrassed by her actions, but he merely patted her shoulder and said, "Take care."

The White Serpent/White Snake duo gave them a wave and left, and outside the door, several people were already leering and gawking at them, but among them was the familiar face of Naga's assistant and bodyguard, Bradley. He nodded at Zelgadiss before his boss garnered his attention and the door to the box shut behind them.

Amelia made to pick up her things and follow them after they left, but Zelgadiss stopped her.

"It's a zoo out there," he explained. "Would you mind if we waited until it dies down?"

"No, not at all." She walked over to the balcony and stretched her arms above her head – damn, why did she have to do that??? She turned around and leaned back against the banister. "This was a really interesting night, Mister Zelgadiss. Did you have a good time?"

He joined her there and furtively placed his arm behind her, not wanting her to fall back. "Yes, I had a great time." They sat enjoying the peace and quiet and each other's company for several minutes before he said, "Thanks a lot for the tickets, especially after the way I treated you before. I can't say sorry enough, you know."

"Oh, you don't have to say it anymore. Just forget about it." She patted his thigh, feeling quite bold, and leaned into him.

He looked down at her, and she had that playful look on her face. He lowered his forehead to hers and said in a low voice, "Okay." They remained that way for several quiet moments, their breathing slow and steady, and their faces mere inches away from each other. All he had to do was lean forward, just a bit…

Abruptly, he pulled away instead, causing her to sway. He caught her and then stood, glancing around at the empty theater. It appeared that they were the last ones there.

"Well, it looks like it'll be clear now. Shall we go?"

His unexpected change in demeanor surprised her, but at the same time, it didn't. This was getting kind of old…

She blinked a few times before she sighed and gathered her things, following him out the door. Sure enough, the crowds had thinned, and only a few stragglers remained. They made it down to the lobby without being accosted, but the second they got to the front doors they saw several photographers still waiting for pictures. Zelgadiss steered Amelia to the side and approached the nearby usher.

"Is there another exit from here? I don't want to deal with all of that," he asked, pointing at the front doors.

"Yes. The side doors exit directly to the street, but some of the photographers go there, too."

"We'll try it out. Thank you."

The exit was not at all crowded, and the lone photographer didn't even raise his camera to take their picture. Apparently, he decided that they weren't anyone interesting, and he was glad that the man had no idea who Amelia was.

They found themselves out on the side street, which was nowhere near as busy as the main street. The orange streetlights lit the mostly empty road, and the one or two straggling couples out and about were taking their time strolling down the sidewalk. They followed slowly as well, but when they rounded the corner to continue down the block to get to the parking garage entrance, the breeze began to pick up. Amelia pulled her fur closer to her, but Zelgadiss stopped and took off his jacket.

"Here. Put this on. I'm not letting you get cold again. It's only been a few weeks since you fainted, you know."

She nodded and gratefully accepted his coat, allowing him to put it around her shoulders.

"Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss," she said, putting her arms through and shrugging it on. She held her unused wrap lightly in her hands.

His hands lingered on her shoulders as he stood closely behind her, and ever so slowly, allowed them to run down the length of her arms. Shivers followed, and Amelia had to fight to keep from shaking, though she was hardly chilled.

"…"

Again, they were both silent and still; the air between them seemed heavy with unspoken emotion. His hands rested lightly on her wrists, and he seemed frozen, unsure of what to do next. This time, she wasn't going to let him off so easily. Dropping her wrap, she spun her hands around and caught his in hers, gently pulling them around her into a hug. Forced though it was, he didn't resist, and he tightened his hold on her slightly. She smiled, knowing that he couldn't see her face, and enjoyed the small romantic moment that circumstance had afforded them.

_Honk honk… "Get a room!!! Ha ha ha!"_

Zelgadiss jumped away from her, looking around quickly at their surroundings as if he just realized where they were. The car that had buzzed by them continued down the street and disappeared around a far corner. His attention was wholly engrossed by the actions of those people who were long gone.

It was always like this, and she couldn't figure out why. He showed her tiny tidbits of affection, so she _felt_ as if he cared about her, but she didn't really know how he truly felt since he had never said it out loud. She was beginning to get tired of the uncertainty and the abrupt changes in behavior. She had a feeling that when they got to the car, he wouldn't want to drive somewhere to have coffee or to talk. He would want to merely bring her home, and then say goodnight and go.

This was not the way that she expected this night to go. Extremely frustrated, Amelia sighed yet again, and bent down to pick up her discarded fur wrap.

"Shall we get going, then?" she asked wearily.

"Uh, yeah, of course…"

They continued on in silence, but this time, it was an uncomfortable silence, and the walk back to the car seemed much longer than either had thought. Finally, thankfully, the familiar black convertible was before them, and Amelia had already opened the door and sat down before Zelgadiss could even attempt to open it for her. Shrugging, he shut the door behind her and then walked around the car to the driver's side. He took a quick glance around the parking garage before getting inside and starting up the car.

They had made it to the freeway before Zelgadiss spoke.

"Wow. It's already past eleven o'clock. I think I'd better just bring you home. Okay?"

"Sure," she answered, not bothering to turn to look at him. Her attention was fixed on the passing scenery, and he had a feeling that she was mad at him for some reason. What had he done?

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

This time she turned to him, though she didn't look him in the eye.

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

She snapped back, "I said it was nothing."

He frowned.

"We were having such a good time tonight, and now you're almost biting my head off. What did I do?" he asked, knowing that it _had_ to be his fault somehow.

"I did not bite your head off," she protested.

"Then what do you call this?"

She huffed in indignation and returned her attention to the passing cars. Now, he was getting irritated.

"You still didn't answer my question."

"What, am I being interrogated now?"

"What??? I just want to know how things went from good to bad for no good reason."

She snorted. "No good reason? Whatever."

"Then _tell_ me what the reason is. How am I supposed to know what happened if you don't tell me?"

"You're the detective. Figure it out." And that was that. She folded her arms in front of her and kept her gaze firmly fixed outside.

They drove along in silence, both stubbornly refusing to back down. Unfortunately for Zelgadiss, he really didn't know what he had done to warrant such hostile behavior, so his mind pored over the night, trying to determine where he went wrong. Ultimately, he figured that he had done nothing wrong. After all, he had been nothing but attentive and engaging, even going out of his way to compliment and pay heed to her, everything a good date should do.

Of course, they weren't supposed to be dating, so he supposed that the times he would back off suddenly when he would regain his senses _might_ have made her mad…

Okay, so they probably _did_ make her mad. He felt so stupid.

It was so obvious to him now, seeing how he had been all night, giving her mixed signals, getting her hopes up by being close to her, by holding her like that, and then slapping her feelings aside by pulling away and acting as if nothing had happened. How would he feel if she had done the same to him? Of course he'd be angry, feeling as if she were playing with his emotions.

So what could he possibly say to her to make her understand? How could he tell her that he _did_ like her, and _wanted_ to act on his feelings, but that he _couldn't_?

As he pulled up to her house, the answer came quite suddenly and quite clearly to him.

_Tell her the truth_.

"Thank you, Mister Zelgadiss," Amelia said flatly, picking up her belongings and opening the door before he could turn off the engine. "I'll see you later." She shut the door behind her.

"Hey, Amelia, wait." He turned off his car and hurried after her.

She turned around at the front door. "Yes?" she asked tiredly.

"Er…"

_Just say it!!!_

"Uh, can I use your bathroom?"

_Idiot!!!_

She stared blankly at him for a moment before saying, "Sure," and letting him inside. The house was quiet, and only the light in the foyer was on. The alarm began beeping and she tapped a few keys, disarming the system. "It looks like everyone's in bed," she noticed aloud. Then she realized that he was watching her expectantly. "You know where the bathroom is, right?"

"Yeah."

He walked back to the washroom in the back hallway near Phil's study and flipped on the light, closing the door behind him. Not needing to use the bathroom at all, he turned on the tap and ran his hands under the cold water. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and shook his head.

"You coward," he chided himself. "Just tell her. There's nothing to it." He splashed water on his face, trying to psych himself into it. "Come on, Zel…"

After wiping his face, he looked in the mirror again. Under the soft light, his scars were not as noticeable, yet he knew where each mark and blemish was, whether he could see them or not. He didn't understand how she could like him when he looked like this, but she did. She was the best thing to happen to him, and he was an idiot for stringing her along like this, regardless of what he was or wasn't supposed to do.

It took him a moment, but he found her in the dim living room, standing at the mantel piece, looking absently at the pictures. The foyer light didn't reach this far back into the room, and he wondered why she hadn't turned on one of the table lamps. He approached her cautiously, wondering when she would launch into one of her Lina-inspired tirades. After all, she had every right to be upset with him.

When he reached her, she didn't even move. His jacket and the tiara lay across the arm of a nearby armchair, and by her straight back and lifted chin, he could tell that she was still upset with him, probably feeling indignant and misused.

"Amelia?" he asked quietly.

She turned her head slightly, but did not look back at him.

"I'm sorry," he tried.

This time, she really did turn around.

"Do you even know what you're sorry for?" she wondered. Her voice was low and steady, without a trace of anger. He wasn't expecting that at all.

"Of course. I want to explain…"

She sighed. She had been doing quite a bit of that this whole evening, and now he figured he knew why.

"Mister Zelgadiss, I'm tired." Amelia took a step towards the front door, but he placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Wait. I _need _to explain…" He looked at her imploringly, and she turned to face him. She still appeared weary. "Look," he began, "I… I know I must have been confusing you tonight, with the way I've been acting. It's… it's just that…"

He swallowed hard, trying to figure out the right words to say. He didn't realize that his hand was still on her shoulder, and when he reached out to put his other hand on her arm, she appeared startled.

"Look, Mister Zelgadiss, if you don't want to…" she began nervously, but he cut her off, relaxing his grip on her.

"Amelia, I want you to understand that I wasn't trying to play around with your emotions. I… I want you to know that I really _do_ care a great deal about you," he whispered, moving his hand up to caress her face. She blinked several times, and her breathing quickened. There were a dozen emotions playing across her face, but she remained silent.

This time, she didn't pull away.

He leaned forward until his forehead rested on hers again, their bangs intertwining. His hand moved around the back of her neck to wind his fingers in her soft hair. She sighed, but this time, it was a long and slow breath that he could feel on his lips. Longing for that next step, that gargantuan leap in their relationship, yet still holding back, Zelgadiss allowed his head to dip, and he planted a soft but deliberate kiss on her cheek.

Resting his scarred cheek against her unblemished one, he breathed in deeply, relishing in their proximity; he hardly believed he would ever be this close to her. He could feel one of her hands on his waist, and the other was on his chest. He didn't understand why this simple fact would make him so happy, but her touch was beginning to mean a lot to him, a person who always shied away from personal contact.

"Mister Zelgadiss," she whispered, and the goosebumps rose on his neck. Oh, how he wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold onto her tightly…

Sadly, she pried herself away from him, and took a step back. At the apparent rejection of his actions, he began to panic inside. What had he done wrong???

She finally looked up at him, and her eyes were… hurt?

"I know you do," she began. "I just don't understand why you're always doing this to me."

"Doing what? _What_ am I doing?" He was hard pressed to keep the alarm from his voice.

She frowned. "This," she said simply. "Pulling me and then pushing me away. I don't even know if _you_ know how many times this had happened. We're so close right now, but I'm afraid it's _just_ for right now. In five minutes, it'll be like none of this ever happened." She was hugging herself and looking down at the floor.

Feeling extremely guilty, he lifted her chin so she would look at him. He was actually surprised that she didn't jerk away from his touch. Heartened by this small bit of encouragement, he spanned the short distance between them and lightly touched her cheek. Her gaze never left his eyes as she hesitantly leaned into his caress.

There was so much that he wanted to say, but he didn't know what to say first. Hoping that he wouldn't sound like a mixed up fool, he just opened his mouth and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Look, I want you to know that this isn't some passing fancy, or some knee-jerk reaction to the events of tonight. I've come to like you a lot, Amelia, very much so. I don't want you to think that I don't, just because I'm not acting on it the way I want to. It's hard for me to know how to act around you. I enjoy hanging out with you, doing the stuff we always do, but then there are times when I just want to hold you and… and kiss you…"

This time, when he leaned forward to kiss her, it wasn't because of an awkward bit of holiday cheer, nor was it on a spur of the moment impulse. This time, he wanted to do it because he felt like it and because he could, just this once…

When their lips met, all thoughts of hesitation and misgivings flew from his mind. He would enjoy this small bit of joy and sweetness for as long as it would last. He relished the feel of her warm skin as he pulled her close to his body, and she yielded, pressing herself to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Feeling her fingers weave their way through his hair gave him chills, and he responded by deepening their kiss, gently demanding more.

She replied eagerly, making his head spin as she returned his kisses, and he moved even closer to her, allowing his hands to rove slowly across her bare skin, from her back to her shoulders and her arms. He almost jumped across the room when one of her own wandering hands tugged on his shirt tail and found its way to _his_ bare back. Instead, he came up for air and began kissing her up her cheek and down her long neck.

A tiny moan escaped her lips, and he was hard pressed not to want to throw her in his car and take her back to his place right then and there…

But, he knew that they couldn't keep this up for long. He had no idea how long they had been there, making out in the darkened living room, but there was still something that she needed to know.

After a moment, he sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around her small frame, and burying his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in deeply, intoxicated by the scent of everything about her. She held him just as tightly, but when she sighed, it hardly sounded contented. In fact, it sounded quite cheerless.

"Tell me that in five minutes you won't ignore this?" she implored, and he could tell that she was afraid that he would do just that. She released him and stepped back, her large blue eyes searching his.

Zelgadiss couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. He needed to tell her the truth. He just hoped that it wouldn't break her heart the way it was twisting his.

"Amelia, you need to understand something very important," he began, and sure enough, she frowned and tried to turn away, but he gently held her in place. "_This_ is how I feel about you. It really is. But… but right now, I'm assigned to your family and this case. I'm not supposed to be fraternizing with the people I'm working for. If anyone found out about us, they'd have me off the case, or even worse, they can have my badge."

"Well, no one needs to find out…" she began, but he shook his head.

"Would _you_ be okay keeping a secret like that from your family and your friends? How just is that? We'd be lying to everyone."

After a moment, she conceded, "No, I suppose you're right. But I thought they originally asked you to do it because you were my sister's friend. Didn't they know we'd become friends, too?"

"Of course. I even brought that up with my Captain at the time, and he brushed it off like it was no big deal."

"Well, then, wouldn't it be okay…?"

He shook his head. "'Friends' is one thing, but anything more than that, I should be able to control myself." He brushed a lock of hair from her face, and then he smirked, hoping to lighten the mood. "Believe me. That's a difficult thing for me to do with you." He placed a quick kiss on her forehead and then searched her face for any sign of hope.

Though she was clearly sad, she wasn't teary-eyed. "I should make it more difficult for you, you know," she pouted, but it quickly evaporated under a sly smirk.

With an inward sigh of relief, Zelgadiss pulled her back into a hug. She held him tightly, resting her head on his chest.

"You'd better not. Please tell me you're wearing something more conservative next week. I don't know if I can handle it if you wear something like this again," he joked as he kissed the top of her head. He released her and was rather disconcerted that she was grinning.

"I _will _be wearing another one of my sister's designs, you know."

He rolled his eyes. "Should I thank her or strangle her?"

Playfully putting her hands behind her back and rocking back and forth on her heels, she answered, "That's for you to decide."

Thankful that they were still able joke around and act normally with each other, he smiled. "I think I'll thank her… then I'll strangle her."

She laughed lightly and then tentatively placed a hand on his chest. The smile was slowly disappearing from her face.

"So we can't be together, can we?" She lifted her eyes to his face, and he found himself quite helpless under her azure gaze. He fought the urge to kiss her again.

"Not right now. Once this thing is over, then…" But, even as he said it, he knew that it was a hollow promise. "You know that this is hard for me, too, right?"

She nodded. "Of course. But we can still do all the stuff we've done before?" she wondered, hopefully.

"Yes. I don't think we need to change our routine. Hey, after all, we're together all the time, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but it's not the same," she said, and he knew that she was right.

"I know." He turned and picked up his coat and the tiara. It was very late, and the longer he remained, the more he would want to stay. And as much as he wanted to, he needed to be responsible about their relationship. But as he turned back to face her, his resolve wavered.

"Amelia," he whispered, taking her hand. The last few minutes had been so right, and he could barely bring himself to leave her. By the look on her face, she didn't want him to leave either. "I know…" he repeated.

She looked down, so he couldn't see her face, and said quietly, "Well, if we both have to ignore this later…"

"Now, I didn't say…" he began, hoping that she wasn't going to cry, but she had already moved quickly, grabbing his shirt and pulling him down to her. She kissed him passionately, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

Knowing that she had thrown caution to the wind, he did the same and enfolded her in his embrace, returning her fervor with his own. His tongue hesitantly flicked out, wondering if he was being too bold, but she accepted his tentative advances, sliding her own tongue along his. Their kisses quickly became desperate, as both knew that this would be perhaps their last time to demonstrate their feelings for some time.

After what seemed like hours, but were merely minutes, they finally, sadly, broke apart. Zelgadiss opened his eyes slowly, as if waking from the best dream he had had in years, and saw that Amelia was watching him intently. More beautiful, more alive, and more passionate than anyone he knew, all he wanted to do was hold her like this for as long as he could. He never would have believed he would be so totally smitten by one person, but Amelia was a fixation that he had never encountered before.

His whole life had been about being better, stronger, and smarter than everyone around him. He was never a boy scout, but his ideals had been just, and his motivations had been sound. But he had always been a selfish and obsessive person, and that meant that finding someone just as obsessive, but _un_selfish, was like finding the missing part of him, and not his complete opposite.

"What are you thinking about?" Amelia asked him quietly. Her large blue eyes were watching him with wonder and not worry. He was glad that she trusted that he meant what he had said.

"You," he answered simply, kissing her lightly on the nose, "and how much I adore you."

She smiled brilliantly, and she kissed him again quickly. "I adore you, too, Zelgadiss," she said with a wink.

He stood still, a little shocked that she hadn't said 'Mister' before his name. Despite himself, his face reddened at the familiarity with which she had addressed him. Happy that he had earned her affection and her intimacy, he smiled gently.

She blushed, and then continued, "But you're right. It's late and Miss Lina's coming over tomorrow morning."

He smirked. "Are you kicking me out?"

"Well, I'm trying to be conscientious," she stated firmly, removing his hands from her hips, but she still held them tightly. "I don't want you to get into trouble because of me."

"Thank you. And I'm not going to ignore this. There's no way that I can, really. But I've got to be professional. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it is as long as we can still be close friends. We can, right?"

He squeezed her hands. "Of course." He released her and bent down to pick up his coat and the tiara, which he had dropped on the carpet.

Amelia stood patiently, watching him, when she asked leadingly, "So, then, this didn't happen?"

When he straightened, he eyed her seriously. "Of course it did… between us. Now, if you need to tell anyone, you can tell Lina. Just make sure she doesn't say anything to anyone; she absolutely _can't_. And she'd better not tease us about it," he added.

She gave him a hug.

"Thank you, Zelgadiss… I mean _Mister_ Zelgadiss."

He smiled when he released her. "Thank _you_."

They walked to the front door hand in hand, and he lingered for just a moment before saying a simple, "Goodnight, Amelia."

"Goodnight."

She waved shyly at him before closing the door, and heard the beeping of the alarm being set. As he walked away, he couldn't help but smile, content that for once in his life, things were going his way.

Minutes after Amelia retreated upstairs and went to bed, the door to the study opened…

oOoOoOo

A/N: Surprise!!! I hope you all enjoy this chapter – I had a lot of fun writing it. The next chapter is slowly coming, so it might take a while, but I've been re-inspired. Again, thank you all for continuing to read, and I really do appreciate those who have reviewed. To my new readers, thank you for deciding to take a chance on such a long story. I hope it's worth the time. _Hugs _to you all!

Yeah, I know that 'Phantom' has been done many times before, but it's the one musical that I've seen several times, and with Phantoms such as Robert Guillaume, Davis Gaines, and the one and only Michael Crawford. And, of course, it's quite appropriate. Also, there is such a thing as bullet-proof fabric, though it's most likely not as thin or pretty as Naga's fabric. It's was developed at Auburn University and more information can be found on auburn dot edu. _Goodnight and Go_ by Imogen Heap was the inspiration for the title of this chapter (a really cool song...).

And finally, with regards to Amelia and her puppy: to anyone who has pets, especially dogs or cats, you know how it feels when you come home and one of your animals isn't acting normally at all. You get worried and immediately are on sick-watch until they get better, and if they don't, then it's a trip to the vet. I have two golden retrievers, and it's like having two more kids, I swear…

Click the button and review!


	37. Playing For Time

Disclaimer: Slayers and its characters are owned by very talented people who make all the money. No harm is intended.

**Chapter 37**

_**Playing for Time**_

Zelgadiss was in a foul mood.

One would assume that after what was, perhaps, the best night he had had in recent memory, he would actually have been in a _good_ mood. After all, he had finally put aside his misgivings and his pride, he was able to live for one glorious moment in the _now_, and he was rewarded with Amelia's understanding and patience. One call, however, was all it took to flip that switch.

_Ring ring._

Zelgadiss opened a bleary eye and glared at the source of the offending sound. The cordless phone on his nightstand was ringing and flashing, and he wished he hadn't spent so much money on it: he wanted to throw it out the window. Pulling his pillow over his face, he tried to calm his ragged breathing. He had just been having a very vivid and very pleasing dream about a very obliging, very soft, very warm Amelia… His body aching with yearning, he took a few moments to relish in the disappearing memory of the feel of her body beneath his fingertips, before he growled in frustration and reached for the phone.

And it had just been getting good…

"Hello?" he answered groggily, silently damning whoever it was who had the nerve to call him at… seven o'clock? On a Sunday?

"_Mister Zelgadiss?_" said a deep voice on the other end, and immediately, all thoughts of his dream girl flew from his mind in concern for his real life girl, and he sat up straight in bed. Why would Philionel be calling him so early?

"Yes, Sir?" He asked, suddenly awake. "Did something happen? Is everything okay?"

"_Yes, yes. Everything is fine. I just needed to discuss something with you. Over the phone is fine for now,_" he added.

"Oh… Okay." Zelgadiss shook a hand through his hair as he leaned back against his headboard, trying to puzzle out why Phil needed to talk to him so soon. After all, he was probably going to see him sometime this week.

"_I'll get right to the point. As you probably know, Miss Lina will be staying with us for a while,_" he began.

"Yeah, I remember the girls saying something about that. Lina's parents had to sell the house earlier than they had planned because they're moving back to Zephilia to take care of their sick Aunt, right?"

"_Yes, so she'll be living here until she finds an apartment.__ Well, I've discussed it with both the girls, and we've decided that it would benefit everyone involved if Amelia were to carpool with Miss Lina to and from school, with the occasional exception on the days when Miss Lina works. She said that she was cutting down her hours at the store during the week due to her increased school workload. So that would only be two days a week that we would need you to give Amelia a ride home from school._"

While he was speaking, Zelgadiss' cell phone beeped, indicating he had received a message. Flipping it open, he checked the message. It was from Amelia: _'Daddy is being unreasonable. Please talk some sense into him.'_ He wondered what really happened to make father and daughter be at odds…

"Alright," he said, despite what he really thought. "I can trust Lina with Amelia's safety, but seeing as though we're still not sure what these people are really after, they both need to be very vigilant."

"_Not a problem, Mister Zelgadiss. What I'm more concerned with now is a conclusion to this whole thing. The sooner life returns to normal for us, the better. I want you working on this case without the distraction of keeping my daughter company._"

For some reason, Zelgadiss felt irritation begin to build up in his chest. Was Phil implying that he wasn't doing his job, that all he was doing was hanging out with Amelia for the fun of it? He punched his pillow as he fought to keep his voice calm, and he replied, "Of course, Sir. Now, please understand. Your family's safety has always been my main priority. A safe and swift closing to this case is part of that, but with what little evidence we have…"

"_Yes, yes, I completely understand, Mister Zelgadiss,_" Phil said, cutting him off. "_But this has been going on for far too long for my liking. I may have a lead that could expedite things. One of my cases was dismissed, so I'd like you to come to my office tomorrow morning. Nine o'clock. You know where it is, correct?_"

"Yes, Sir. But… could I ask why you never…?" But again, he was cut off.

"_I'll save that for tomorrow. For now, if my daughter tries to ask you to talk me out of this, I can trust you to keep her on course? She was not too fond of this decision, but it is for everyone's benefit, you see. The sooner you solve this case, the sooner we can put it all behind us._"

Zelgadiss frowned. Since when did Phil_not_ cave in to Amelia's wishes?

He must have been silent a moment too long, because Philionel urged, "_I__** do**__ have your word, correct?_"

"Of… of course, Sir," he agreed, though he did not like it. In fact, he did not like any of this, one bit.

"_Good. Then I shall see you tomorrow._"

"Yes, _Sir_." He hoped the sarcasm didn't leak out too much…

When Zelgadiss pressed the 'off' button on the phone, he finally allowed his irritation to boil over into anger. He gripped the phone tightly, and then after silently stewing over the conversation for a moment, finally chucked it across the room and into the hallway, where he could hear plastic and metal bouncing off the far door of the guest bedroom.

Why? Why was it that he was being taken away from Amelia, just when he had finally told her the truth of his feelings for her? Just when they had come to a mutual understanding of their emotions and their situation? Frustrated and angry, he flung himself out of bed and stomped through the house, picking up phone fragments along the way. Maybe the next phone he'll buy won't be so expensive…

After taking a shower and cooling off his temper, he finally was able to see the circumstances rationally. He realized that he was only _really_ pissed off _because_ of his taboo relationship with Amelia. After all, he was only being asked not to listen to Amelia's pleas and keep to the new schedule, and to comply with his client's requests to concentrate on the case, both of which were completely reasonable and fair requests of an employee. Phil had merely treated him as he would anyone who works for him, and not as a friend or a potential suitor for his daughter.

But still, for some reason, it was like he was being _ordered_ to stay away from her, and that just aggravated him. He hadn't been prepared to give her up so easily.

Zelgadiss sank down onto his couch as he stared at the bowl of oatmeal that he had just cooked for himself, yet his eyes were not focused upon his breakfast. All he could see was Amelia's disappointed face when he would have to tell her that his promise that they wouldn't have to change their routine will have to be broken and that they _wouldn't_ be together all the time anymore.

So, then, this was how it was going to be?

He had a sudden impulse to talk with Xelloss, and he shook his head at the mere thought. The man would be over soon enough, since today Zelgadiss was hosting the poker game this time, so he just had to hope that Xelloss was his usual early self… Of course, why the heck was he even willing to ask his unscrupulous friend for advice?

He slowly ate his breakfast, and pondered his options and his fate. Well, first thing's first…

'_Sorry. I'll call you later & we'll talk about it._'

Zelgadiss hit the 'send' button and closed his cell phone, shutting his eyes and trying again to cool his anger. Unfortunately, that didn't work, and by the time he received her message back (a simple '_okay_') he was already missing her, frustrating him even more…

By the time the guys arrived, all he could do was hope that his temper would remain contained, but the tenuous thread that held it in check was tested before he had a chance to even say hello to them.

"So, are you going to answer your booty call again tonight?" Zangulus asked as he set down a case of beer on the table. He had just stepped into the house, leading the trio inside.

This was not the way he needed to continue the day.

Zelgadiss spouted back, "Hey, what the hell's your problem?"

"You're my problem. Why'd you have to go running off last week?"

"I already told you that I needed to go help my…"

Zangulus cut him off. "Yeah, yeah. You needed to help your chick. Whatever…" He rolled his eyes.

"Don't go there," Zel warned.

"What, is she an invalid or something?"

Zelgadiss was very close to completely losing his cool, but he still tried to be diplomatic. "Are you telling me that if Martina needed your help, you wouldn't leave us to go see her?"

"Of course I would, but I wouldn't go running out of here like I was on a leash or something. Man, the tail must be good, because she's got you on a chain."

That was it…

"You know, didn't Martina go after all three of _us_ before she settled on _you_?" Zel spat, no longer able to keep the disdain from his voice.

The other two men in the room glanced at each other nervously as Zangulus and Zelgadiss stared each other down like gunslingers in the old west. And then Zangulus finally snapped and launched himself at the other man.

"You fucking prick!"

The two men tangled, and though Zangulus was very good, almost as powerful as Gourry, he was nowhere near as skilled as Zelgadiss. It didn't take long before Zel had him on the floor in a headlock, and Gourry and Xelloss were pulling the two men apart.

"Whoa, whoa, guys. What's the big deal?" Gourry asked, holding back a rather frazzled-looking Zangulus. The big guy just didn't seem to understand why they were so upset.

"_He's_ the big deal," Zangulus answered, shouldering Gourry away and pointing at Zelgadiss. "You don't talk about my wife like that!"

Though he had released him, Xelloss still had a hand on Zelgadiss' shoulder.

"I warned you," Zel said, straightening his shirt. "You should listen to your own advice, asshole. Don't talk about Amelia like that. You don't know anything about her!"

"All I need to know is that she doesn't let you go out with your friends."

"That's funny. I don't remember _you_ ever being a friend of mine. And why the hell does it matter whether or not my girl 'lets me go out with my friends'? What business is it of yours?"

"If you had played that hand last week, I could have finally put _him_ out of the game!" He pointed at the tall blond. "Instead, you go out, he followed suit, and _I_ ended up losing to him!" He pointed at Xelloss.

The aforementioned Xelloss held up his hands. "Hey, don't blame me for your bad playing."

"Just for that?" Zel gawked. "You have the audacity to come into _my_ house and insult me for something as stupid as _that_? I should have knocked you out when I had the chance."

He snorted. "As if you could…"

Xelloss, however, interrupted. "Before you two go at it again – and let me tell you that I really could care less if you do – let me just inform you that _I've_ got a date at five o'clock, and Gourry said that he's going to see Lina again tonight. You should know that though it's important for us to have our 'guy time', _we_ don't live with _our_ women, so we don't yet feel the desire to get away from them as you do."

"Why, you…"

Xelloss wagged his finger at him. "Don't think you can beat me one on one, especially if you can't beat Zel. I was merely making an observation."

Gourry piped in with a smile. "Come on, guys. Let's just play, okay?"

It was probably Gourry's unaffected attitude and his easygoing nature that had a somewhat calming effect on everyone, because before long, the four men were seated around the small poker table, pizza boxes and beer bottles already half-empty. As usual, Xelloss had a large stack of chips before him, but unusual was the fact that Zelgadiss was matching him so quickly. Maybe he should play angry more often…

So far, the talk had been superficial: sports, cars, food, and television shows. Inexplicably, though, talk turned to the Mayoral ball coming up the following weekend.

"What do you mean it's a masquerade?" Zelgadiss asked. Those happened to be his first words to the man sitting opposite him since the two men tangled over an hour and a half ago.

Zangulus shrugged. "Martina's covering the function and said something about the Mayor wanting there to be no barriers between our states. He thought that he could have lots of masks made up and passed out at the beginning of the ball."

Zelgadiss frowned. "I don't like it."

"Why not?" Gourry asked with a smile, his eyes drifting dreamily upwards as he thought about it. "I think it would be kind of fun."

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Xelloss wondered. Though they could still hear him, he lowered his voice. "You don't honestly think that someone would try anything at such a high-profile gathering, do you? Besides, we're all going, so if you're still worried, we can watch them, too."

Zelgadiss wanted to kick Xelloss under the table. He quickly glanced sideways at Zangulus, hoping he wouldn't be too curious about what they were referring to. Satisfied that he wasn't paying them too much attention, he wondered, "You're going?"

"Yeah. Filia being 'family' of the guest of honor and all…." Xelloss made a face. Apparently, he still wasn't getting along very well with Val.

"Me, too. Martina has a special access reporter's pass, so I'm her date for the night. Her producer wanted to go, but she insisted…" Zangulus also made a face. "She wants me to be by her side the whole time."

Though he wasn't necessarily thrilled with the man, Zelgadis appreciated the fact that Zangulus was a good police officer, and he still worried that Xelloss may have alerted him to the fact that he was actually working on a case with the Seyruuns. The last thing he needed was for someone at work to find out that he had a 'relationship' with the youngest Seyruun daughter…

"Are you going, too, Gourry?" he asked his best friend, silently hoping that he would. If Gourry was anything, he was steady as a rock, and he could really use the support.

"Oh, well, I wasn't going to, but my grandfather was actually invited. He didn't want to make the trip out from Mipross, so, I guess he had them transfer the invitation to my name instead. You should see Lina. She loves the opportunity to be able to go all out for it. She's getting a new dress and everything." The look on his face was one of pure fondness.

"How is your grandfather doing, by the way?" Zel asked, glad for the change of subject. He was quite relieved that the big man was going, but curious about why old Roudy wasn't attending such a major function.

"He's doing okay. He doesn't like leaving the house much anymore. I don't think he's becoming a shut-out or anything…"

"Shut-in," Zelgadiss corrected, but he knew that Gourry wouldn't even be phased.

"…but he's become sort of anti-social. Ever since my grandmother died, he spends all his time at home. Only Miss Melly can get him to do anything remotely fun, and she couldn't get him to come back for the Ball."

Zelgadiss had only met "Miss Melly" once when he and Gourry ventured out to Mipross to visit Roudy after his wife passed away a couple of years ago. Mellyroon was a very beautiful woman with long silvery-blonde hair, and though Zelgadiss had first thought that she was in her fifties, he found out that she was much older than that. It was the first time in his life that he had met someone who seemed to defy aging.

"Well, at any rate," Xelloss interjected, tossing his cards on the table and leaning back with closed eyes, "masks or no masks, it's going to be crowded and hot, and I'm not looking forward to dressing up in a tuxedo, just to celebrate the fact that some kid survived the trek from Kataart to Saillune."

Although Zelgadiss truly agreed with his statement, he kept his mouth closed. It wouldn't do to gripe about what he couldn't control. After a glance down at his cards, he, too, tossed them.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Zangulus glanced at his rear-view mirror as he drove away from Zelgadiss' house, and saw that Gourry and Xelloss were headed off in the other direction. He continued on for another mile before turning around and making a left turn back towards a small hotel just down the street from Zelgadiss' house. He pulled all the way to the rear of the parking lot, got out and hurried up to one of the rooms, knocking lightly as his eyes scanned the street.

The door opened, and he quickly slid inside.

"Were you followed?"

Zangulus turned to face the scantily clad woman who shut the door behind him. Her arms were crossed in front of her. She was dressed in a black leather bustier and short skirt. Today, she had forgone wearing her thigh-length black high-heeled boots; it was quite strange seeing her barefoot. She was pretty, with black hair and chocolate brown eyes, but they were sharp, just like her words.

"Of course not," he replied. "The guys went the other way, and I doubled back, making sure Zelgadiss wasn't outside."

He removed his hat, flopped down on the bed and leaned back. She unfolded her arms and approached him slowly. He smiled, but she kicked his legs and glared down at him, her fists on her hips.

"Get off my bed, you oaf! Well? What's the report?"

He removed himself to the hard chair beside the table and shook his head.

"Geez, Eris, can't you at least pretend to make small talk? You always act like you're talking to a subordinate instead of a friend."

"Stupid, you know I don't have time for this. What's the report?" she repeated.

He rolled his eyes and looked out the window at the distant craftsman house that he had just visited. He didn't owe the man anything, yet he still felt somewhat guilty that he was pretty much spying on Zelgadiss. _Somewhat…_

"You were right about him," he said finally. "He's closer to this case than he should be. It's making him blind to things that are right in front of him."

"He's a fool," she muttered, lifting a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "I take it you've taken the necessary steps?"

"Yeah. My suggestion to Martina for the masks trickled all the way down to the Mayor like you wanted. The ball is going to be a masquerade." He appeared a bit sheepish. "I… I accidentally let it slip to those guys, but those two are going to the Ball together, and he's worried about her safety. I don't think he's going to leave her side that night anyway."

Eris smirked. "Don't worry about that. I've got some ideas on how to separate her from him." She glanced over at an open box on the table and something white and fluffy within it. She turned her attention back to him. "You know what you're going to do, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm still not sure why I'm doing this for you…"

She sat on the arm of his chair and placed his hat back on his head. "Because I'm paying you very well."

He looked up at her as he trailed his hand up her bare leg.

"You know, Eris, if I didn't love Martina so much, I'd be sorely tempted to take my pay out of your hide."

"And if I didn't love Rezo so much, I'd pay you less than you're getting now." She picked up his hand and patted it once before throwing it back into his own lap. "Go home to your wife, Zangulus. I've got work to do."

He stood and looked down at her, deciding that he at least needed to know for himself.

"Why this way?" he asked. "Isn't there an easier way to do all this?"

She looked up at him, but her face was expressionless as she answered, "Something needs to be done about _him_."

Though he didn't quite understand, he nodded at the simple explanation, as if those few words uttered were enough. He slipped back out of the hotel room as quietly as he had entered, and was back on the road home within moments.

Although he wasn't too happy spying on his 'friend' and co-worker, he didn't see the harm in letting an old girlfriend know what the man was doing, especially if it wasn't exactly confidential information he was disclosing. He didn't know exactly what she was up to, and to be honest, he really didn't _want_ to know. All he knew was that he was glad to be on Eris' side of this plan. He did _not_ want to be on the receiving end of her machinations.

oOoOoOoOo

"So, how did it go last night?" Lina finally asked Amelia as they sat in Lina's room, sorting out her belongings and arranging them in her new space. They hadn't had a moment to themselves all day until now.

The spare bedroom was already furnished with a bed, dresser and desk, so her own furniture had to be stored along with her boxes of books, video games, and movies. She didn't think that she had accumulated so much stuff, but when added to the couch, tables & chairs, kitchenware and the television that her parents had left her, it became apparent that she had way more junk than she had anticipated. It was now seven thirty in the evening, and they had spent the majority of the day organizing all of Lina's boxes and furniture into a neat and orderly stack in the garage.

And even after Amelia and Phil had that disagreement in the morning, the tension that was between them subsided enough so that Phil brought them all out to a late lunch down at the marina. Then Lina insisted on stopping at the mall on the way home so she could purchase some things that she would need over the next few months. Since Lina had had no intention of moving with her parents when they moved back home to take care of Auntie Aqua, she had planned on finding an apartment with Filia and Amelia, but those plans were derailed when all this nonsense with those threats to the Seyruun family occurred. And so, she found herself renting a room from her best friend's family, and for now, it was enough. She was planning on finding her own place once summer began.

"It was nice," Amelia sighed dreamily as she hung up a pair of jeans in the closet.

Lina grinned. "That good, huh?" she asked. Amelia nodded emphatically as she sat down on the bedroom floor. Lina put her hands on her hips. "So, did he say anything? Do anything?"

"Oh, Miss Lina! He said that he _adored_ me!" she said, nearly squealing, but reeling it in to a whisper. After all, her father was still awake. "Okay, now you have to _swear_ that you won't say anything or even hint at any of this to anyone, not even Mister Zelgadiss."

"What? Why not? He finally confesses his feelings for you and you expect me not to make fun of him for taking so damned long?" Lina didn't bother trying to lower her own voice, and Amelia shut the door.

"Well, he can get into big trouble at work if anyone was to find out. We're not together or anything, but he could still get reprimanded for fraternizing with a client."

"Wait… What do you mean you're not together?"

"I told you, we _can't_ right now, not while he's working on this case. I don't mind it, really," she said, sounding as if she was trying to convince Lina. It seemed to her that Amelia was trying to convince herself. "Well, at least I know how he feels," the younger girl continued with a firm nod of her head.

Lina didn't seem satisfied. "How long do you think you'll be okay with this situation, just knowing how he feels? Is it okay, when you love him so much?"

Amelia bit her lip, but she just smiled. "One day at a time, Miss Lina. I'm happy today."

"Hmph… didn't sound like you were too happy this morning."

She pouted. "Well, I don't think that Daddy really had the right to go and decide who's going to give me rides to school and back. I mean, he practically forced you to…"

Lina shook her head. "No one _forced_ me to do anything, Amelia. You know that I'm renting this room from your dad. Well, he said that he would deduct half of the rent if I agreed to this. I'm already cutting back on my hours at the store because my classes are getting harder. I can't afford it if I've got to spend what I do have on rent. And besides, with all this stuff going on with you guys, isn't it better if Zel figures out what's really going on as soon as possible? No matter which way you look at it, your dad was right."

Amelia looked at Lina as if she had just mutinied against her best friend.

"Hey, now don't look like that," Lina began. "I'm just saying that for now, it's a good situation. And nothing should be keeping you and Zelgadiss from seeing each other anyway. After all, you two are really good friends, regardless of how romantically involved you are," she added in a whisper. "The only difference is that you won't see him as often. As friends, you can see him in the evenings for dinner or for help with homework still, right?"

Amelia seemed to consider it for a moment, and then an apparent weight seemed to be lifted from her shoulders.

"You're right. I suppose I should ease up on Daddy. He's been working way too hard recently… although I'm really not sure what could possibly be worrying him so much," she said, sidetracking herself. "He's so stressed out, but I don't think it can be this _thing_, can it? I mean, he wasn't like this when it first began. Now, he's always on the phone with my Uncle, but they can't work together, so it can't be a case… Ugh! I don't get it."

Lina patted her head.

"Don't. You'll just give yourself a headache trying to figure it all out."

Amelia sighed. "Yeah, you're right."

Lina winked. "Of course! You know I'm always right."

Amelia threw a t-shirt at her friend and caught one back in the face when her cell phone rang and distracted her from defending against the sudden flurry of clothes Lina was hurling at her with laughter.

"Ha ha… Stop, Miss Lina! Ha ha ha… stop, please!"

With a laugh, Lina stopped. "Fine, answer your phone. It's probably Zel anyway."

Sure enough, Zelgadiss' deep voice answered when Amelia answered.

"_Hi, Amelia. Sorry I didn't call you back sooner._"

"It's okay. I know you were busy today. Lina and I are just winding down for the day, too."

"_Well, I didn't want you to think that I forgot about you. Look, I tried, but there was just no way I could talk your father out of this new idea of his._"

"It's okay. I've thought about it a lot, and Miss Lina also said that he was right after all…"

"As usual!" Lina said loudly towards the phone. Amelia smiled and steered herself away from her friend.

"…so there's no use in worrying over it. I'm just sorry I can't help you out with the case anymore." What she _didn't_ say was that she was sorry she couldn't see him every day anymore.

"_Me, too, but I'm surprised you're being so diplomatic about it,_" he teased, and she could almost hear the smirk on his face.

"Hey, I'm all about being diplomatic, you know," she laughed, trying to sound unaffected.

"_Well, it's good that you're in a better mood. Hey, can you do me a favor?_"

"Sure. What is it?"

"_Where are you right now?_"

"In Lina's new room… the guest room upstairs."

"_Go to the window._"

Looking confused, she obediently did as he requested and looked outside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness outside, but she saw, as a familiar black mustang slowly rolled by, a pale hand waving out the window.

A smile lit up her face as she timidly waved back, her heart full of rushing emotions.

"_Be safe with Lina, okay? Good night, Amelia._"

"Good night."

"Goodnight!" Lina yelled into the phone, waving wildly at him with a big grin. He gave her a rude gesture and laughed in Amelia's ear.

"_Bye_," he said again with a laugh before hanging up and driving away.

"Wow," Lina said with a smirk as she leaned against the window. "He must _really_ like you, huh?"

Amelia beamed at her best friend, but didn't want her to ask any more pointed questions that would make her question her 'relationship' with Zelgadiss.

"I'm not sure he likes me as much as Mister Gourry likes _you_, though," she said to change the subject. "So, are you ever going to tell me what happened with you two? I've been dying to hear, you know."

"Well," Lina began, flopping down on her stomach on the bed, "of course, we've kissed and stuff…"

"'And stuff'? What kind of stuff?" she asked, sitting on the bed beside her.

"Oh, you know. 'Necking', 'making out', whatever you want to call it. 'Petting', too, I guess," she said, making a face at how those terms sounded.

"He felt you up?"

If Lina could turn any redder, Amelia's simple question could have made her glow in the dark.

"Yeah… and I had to smack him because he said my chest was small…"

"Oh, Miss Lina…"

Then a shy smile crept to Lina's lips as she continued, "…but he said that it was perfect for him. And we… well, we sort of got more intimate, trying some things and talking about some others." She was trying to be vague, but Amelia wasn't having it.

"So, what have you done?"

"Geez, I can ask what _you've_ done…"

"The most I've ever done is heavy petting," she answered matter-of-factly. "Chad had wanted more, but I wasn't ready for all that. So, what about you and Mister Gourry?"

Lina shrugged her shoulders. "I guess the same. I'm not really ready for more just yet."

Amelia placed a finger to her lips in thought. "You know, I figured you'd have done way more than me, you know."

"Whaddya mean? I'm not easy, you know."

"Yeah, I know, but you used to hang out and party with my sister all the time. I figured you would have been popular with all those guys, just like Gracia was."

"I was, but… well, for me, it was always 'look but don't touch', you know? I like being appreciated, but not manhandled. Gourry appreciates me."

Amelia smirked. "I'm sure you don't mind being manhandled, now, do you?" Lina smacked her, and the two wrestled, giggling until they fell back on the bed, exhausted and staring at the ceiling. Before long, Amelia wondered, "So, why didn't you move in with him?"

Quiet for a moment, Lina sat up and answered, "I thought about it. It wouldn't be so bad, you know. I'm pretty serious about him, and I like where our relationship is going, so I think it would have been okay. But you're going through some pretty weird stuff right now, and I don't want to leave you alone. Not baby-sitting or anything, but I think you could use the diversion. Besides, this is pretty fun, right?"

Lina turned to her friend and was tackled by a Seyruun-style hug, all the while Amelia sobbing her thanks to her best friend.

oOoOoOo

Seeing Amelia, albeit briefly and from a distance, and talking with her for a minute, although interrupted by Lina's typical interjections, soothed Zelgadiss' anger and allowed him to grasp the situation a little more objectively. Phil _was _right in the fact that he needed to spend more time working on the case and not to have it drag out for an entire year. But, his irritation with the man didn't quite go away so quickly. What exactly was it that Philionel was keeping secret that could have an impact on this case?

If there was something that _he_ was doing that was the cause of all of this, then the man would have a lot to answer to.

And, so it was that Zelgadiss entered the courthouse the next morning at eight o'clock with an investigator's attitude, removing all thoughts from his head that the man he was going to confront was the father of the young woman whom he loved.

After checking in his weapon at the security station, signing in and being given a special visitor's badge, he was shown the back way up to the tenth floor where Philionel Seyruun's offices were located. The floor was a buzz of activity, with lawyers and paralegals, secretaries and assistants all over the place. He approached the nearest person who appeared to be answering the phones, and handed her his card when she hung up the phone. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm here to see Judge Seyruun," he said. "We have a nine o'clock appointment."

She looked down at a thick calendar, buried beneath a stack of papers and ran a red fingernail down the page.

"He's got an appointment right now, but he should be finished in a couple of minutes. If you'll have a seat, I'll let you know when he's ready for you," she said, indicating a nearby set of couches surrounding a coffee table. "Would you like any coffee, tea…?" She seemed uncertain, as if she really didn't want to get up from her desk.

"No, thank you," Zelgadiss said, and went to sit at the couches. He knew that he was early, so it didn't bother him to wait, and he already had breakfast, so, though it sounded good, it didn't bother him to refuse the coffee. But for some reason, he still felt somewhat unsettled.

His eyes roamed the floor, trying to figure out where exactly Phil's office was located, but since two other judges shared this floor as well, it was a little more difficult than he had thought. Before long, though, he noticed a familiar shock of light green hair exiting one of the back offices, and without knowing exactly why he was doing it, Zelgadiss turned around in his chair and kept his back to the approaching young man.

Carefully watching the reflection in the window, Zelgadiss watched Val as he wove his way through the office to the elevator. The tall youth slouched with his hands stuffed into his pockets as he stared at the arrows above the doors, waiting for the elevator to arrive. He didn't notice Zelgadiss at all, and before long, had disappeared behind the steel doors.

Although curious as to why he was there, Zel barely had time to even ponder it when the receptionist called his name and led him to the office that Val had just vacated. She showed him in and then quietly left the men alone.

Judge Philionel was normally an imposing figure of a man, with his large frame, huge girth, dark features and booming voice; however, this was usually tempered with his pacifistic ways and gentle demeanor. Today, though, sitting behind huge walnut desk, surrounded by bookcases full of dark leather-bound tomes, and clad in somber black, Phil radiated power and an uncompromising air. Zelgadiss could see why people respected and feared him.

"Sit," he ordered, indicating the empty seat before the desk.

_I'm not a damned dog…_ Zelgadiss thought before he did as he was told.

Phil continued on, his face the impassive mask of a high ranking judge. "Thank you for coming to see me on such short notice. I've got a few things to discuss with you this morning."

"Yes, you said something about having lead on this case?"

He nodded. "Now, this is a very sensitive matter, and I hope you'll understand that I wish to keep this between us for now. This is not to be discussed with either of my daughters."

Zelgadiss frowned. "Sir, if it's that important to the case, is it wise to keep this from them? The last time we kept a secret from Amelia, it blew up in our faces."

"I understand your reluctance to keep secrets, but this is important to its success."

"But why…"

"Mister Zelgadiss, hear me out first, and then you can ask more questions." Philionel placed both of his massive hands on his desk and pushed himself out of his chair. Standing with his back to his guest and staring out over the city below, he took a deep breath and began. "I believe I might know the reason we're getting these threats, but I cannot back down now."

He turned around to face Zelgadiss, as the young man stared incredulously back at him.

"I know what you're about to say, but I cannot make this public, and I cannot back down from what I am doing. This is perhaps the closest I have been to the truth, and I am not going to let this deter me from my work.

"I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but ten years ago, my wife was murdered; by my little brother, it was determined. All the evidence pointed to a murder-suicide, and the case was put to rest. Now, I'm not naïve about my family's history of violence. My ancestors had little sense of justice and more sense of self-interest. Randy was fully capable of the atrocities of our ancestors, but I do not believe he would have killed himself."

He took a deep breath and then continued. "He had been an exceptionally nice child, always wanting to follow in his older brothers' footsteps. However his grades and abilities were never equal to ours, and I fear that lead to a jealousy that we could not deter. We always tried to make him feel welcomed and accepted, and never balanced his life against ours, but friends and relatives tended to make the sorry mistake of comparison. And although he never showed any hostility towards neither Christopher nor me, there was an arrogance about him that we did not possess or foster. He used to play at being a prince, and I believe that this is actually how he saw himself. He would treat people civilly, but with a condescending air that was very subtle. It _is_ true, that he liked Victoria very much, but he loved his life even more. He desired power, not money or love. He would not have killed himself at all."

A crease formed between Zelgadiss' brows. "Did you ever bring this up to the investigator?"

"I explained that I didn't think that he would have committed suicide, but all the evidence pointed in that direction. It was an open and shut case, and I was so wrapped up in my own grief that any answer for such senseless killings would have made sense to me.

"But then three years ago, I received a not-so-anonymous tip that my initial hunch was correct, and that the real murderer is still out there."

He returned to his seat and pulled out a file from his desk. He handed it to Zelgadiss.

Opening it, Zelgadiss saw the face of a criminal he knew well. "Gaav?"

"Victoria had been working for the prosecution on Gaav's trial when the courts broke for the winter holidays. At first, I thought that he was actually behind the whole thing and had the detectives do a thorough investigation into his involvement. There was nothing there."

He sat back in his leather chair, a look of bleak consternation on his face. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I refused to listen to what he had to say, but then, last year, he asked to see me again, saying that he had some very specific information about my wife's death to offer to me in exchange for something that he wanted. I knew that as a judge, I couldn't deal with him, so I refused again. But I secretly asked my brother to act in my stead, to find out what exactly it was that he wanted."

Zelgadiss couldn't believe it. Was this it? Was this the reason Amelia was in danger? Was this the reason he had been shot up to all hell and almost died? All because Philionel was secretly negotiating with this crime boss?

"I've wrestled with the consequences of my actions for over a year now," he continued, unaware that the fire within Zelgadiss' gut had been stoked. "Inactivity has gotten me nowhere, and Gaav holds all the cards. So, I've finally decided that I need to deal."

Zelgadiss had enough. "So, without regard to your daughters' safety, you're dealing with a notorious criminal, just so you can find out questionable information from an unreliable source? Those girls need you now, and you're still worried about your dead wife?"

The deafening noise seemed to reach him before he even saw Phil's large hands slam down on his desk; the wood seemed as if it would crack under the tremendous force. But the hushed hiss of Phil's response chilled Zelgadiss even more.

"Don't you _dare_ question my love for my daughters or my wife! I would do anything for them, even deal with criminals! Since Victoria died, _I've_ died a little each day without her, but I don't know if you can even understand something like that…" That broken look that Zel had seen before flitted across his face and then was gone, replaced by the harsh judge's mask. "Just because she's dead doesn't make me love her any less, and she deserves peace," he finished.

Something inside Zelgadiss resounded with the words, and he realized that the man was right. "I… I'm sorry, Sir. I suppose that if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't rest either until I found out the truth," he agreed with a deflated sigh. "So, what is it that Gaav wants in exchange for this information?"

Phil regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, and then said, "You might have seen young Val Gaav leave my office just before you arrived? Well, his adopted father wants his visitation rights back. I was discussing it with him."

"That's it?"

"You don't understand, Mister Zelgadiss. When Val arrived here, he was all by himself. His entire family had been wiped out by the Kataart government as they tried to defect. An eight year old boy whose family had been systematically hunted down and killed had only his villain of an uncle to care for him. That impressionable boy clung to him and quickly adopted his evil ways. The only reason he's succeeding as an upright member of society is because the courts took him away from that criminal. If we allow him to come into contact with him again, all that good could quickly become undone."

Zelgadiss was silent for a moment as he contemplated the delicate line that Philionel was trying to balance upon. "So, you said that you discussed this with Val?"

"Yes, and he was surprised, of course. I believe that with the approaching Ball and the roll that he will be playing in the Mayor's welcoming ceremony for the Kataart Mayor, he is in a difficult position right now. I know that he's not happy about making peace with his old government, not that I could blame him, but he's more than willing to do the right thing for Saillune. He's asked me for some time to think things over, but he's got a good head on his shoulders, and has for the past several years. Hopefully, he would be able to meet with Gaav without any ill effects."

"So, what does this have to do with the threats on the family?"

Phil suddenly appeared annoyed. "I think Gaav's been trying to rail-road me into giving in to his demands. This has got to be the reason he's zeroing in on Amelia, because she's so close to Val."

"But why not start with her in the first place? Why send notes to you and Naga? And besides, what were those notes supposed to be warning you of, then? He's got nothing to lose if you don't comply with his request. It just doesn't seem right …" He shrugged dismissively.

Being written off so easily did not sit well with the Judge. His face suddenly darkened into a harsh and unforgiving mask.

"I thought you wanted to follow any lead there may be. Isn't that why you wanted to know of my suspicions? Why not Gaav? Why rule him out so arbitrarily?"

"I'm not ruling him out. I just think we need a little time to figure out what his involvement is, if he _is_ involved, and how it traces back to him. I could probably do some research…"

"Enough research! I need you to stop dragging this case out, Mister Zelgadiss. You're here to solve this thing, and not use it as an excuse to fool around with my daughter!"

"Wha… _what_?" he said, completely blindsided by this sudden accusation.

"Don't play dumb with me, Mister Zelgadiss. I was in my study when you two came home from the theater the other night."

The blood drained from Zelgadiss' face. _Gulp…_

"I know what happened between you and my little girl. What exactly are your intentions with my daughter?" he asked with a murderous look in his eyes.

Philionel's sudden switch of conversation threw Zelgadiss completely off.

"I… well, I…" he sputtered, trying to find the words. Inwardly kicking himself in the head, he finally blurted out, "Look, Sir, I really wasn't looking for a relationship, or even a fling, but… but I found myself truly caring for Amelia."

"'Caring'? Is that what you call laying your hands all over her?"

"Well, no… What I mean is…" _Calm down, Zelgadiss, calm down!_ He took a deep breath. "Sir, I won't deny that I want to have a serious relationship with your daughter. That is the simple truth. But I have a job to do, because it was there first, and you know that that was why I took my hands off of her. It wouldn't be fair to Amelia to constantly have this _thing_ hindering our relationship. You want a speedy resolution to this case, and to be honest, so do I. Amelia is a saint for choosing me, and I don't want to keep her waiting forever."

Philionel continued to glare at him as he spoke, and after a couple of tense minutes, he finally responded. "And once this case is over, and you decide that you want to pursue a serious relationship with her, what happens when you get assigned to a case with another young woman who needs protecting? It's entirely possible that she might look past your shortcomings and end up infatuated with you as well. What then?"

Zelgadiss scowled and slammed his own fist upon the desk. "Are you implying that I would fall for whatever woman happens my way? That I would let myself even get that close to someone else?"

"Why not? You did so with her?" The large man would not budge.

Zelgadiss had enough. "Amelia is Amelia, and I'm in love with Amelia, not anyone else! Believe what you want, but she is the_ only_ one!"

Philionel's scowl did not disappear, and suddenly the young man wanted to grab the words he had just uttered and shove them back into his blabbering mouth. Although it was the truth, he had just thrown his feelings into the old man's face, almost daring him to rebuke him for it. Of course, now that it was out there, there could be no denying it, so all he could do was hold onto the declaration like a shield.

"Mister Greywords." Zelgadiss' stomach dropped at hearing his name said with such venom. "_No one_ hurts my little girl, understand?"

"Of course, I do, Sir," he answered, hoping his voice didn't crack.

"Good, because you don't want to test my threshold for upholding the law."

"Is that a warning?" he asked, wondering if this man could really be so bold.

Philionel smiled, but it was not like a smile at all. "No. Make no mistake. It's a _threat_, young man. Hurt my baby, and you won't like the consequences." The lethal aura that he was exuding slowly ebbed until finally, Zelgadiss could breathe again. He hadn't even realized that he had been holding his breath.

"I _was_ going to report you to your boss," Philionel continued in a lighter tone, and Zelgadiss wondered if he had really just witnessed 'black Phil'. "But I wanted to hear your excuses and denials first."

The Judge sat back in his chair and studied the young man. "I'm actually impressed that instead of denying anything, you manned up and came clean with me." He pulled the Gaav file back towards him and leafed through it. "Honesty," he continued, still poring over the documents, "goes a long way with me. Your devotion to my daughter is admirable, but you will have to continue to prove to me that you're serious about my little girl. I will continue to keep a close eye on you both. _If_ you truly are serious about keeping your relationship with her platonic until the case is over, then I _might_ consider you a worthy suitor for her."

He closed the file, and his gaze returned to Zelgadiss, who hardly had the chance to process the sudden changes in Phil's demeanor, much less what he was saying. Did that mean that he was _not_ going to be in trouble and that he _sort of_ had Phil's blessing?

"There's another file that you should take a look at," Phil continued their previous discussion as if nothing had happened. "_Saillune v. Zanafaar_. I'd like you to study both files and go to see Gaav sometime this week. See if you can get anything out of him with regards to the current case and not his request from me. He can't know that you are aware that he had contacted me."

"Is that the file you had wanted me to find before, Sir?"

"Yes. The circumstances for our family back then are similar to the ones now, and I believe Gaav had a hand in both."

Zelgadiss nodded his head, determined to head immediately to the station and straight to the records clerk to find the police files on both cases. He pulled out his notebook and jotted the names down, though he knew full well that he wouldn't forget them. Glad that he now had some solid leads and that he could exhibit his skills as a detective, he was about to get up when Philionel stopped him.

"Mister Zelgadiss, understand that I respect you and I like you. But she's my little girl. If you cross the line again before this is over, then I'm asking for another detective to be assigned the case, understand?"

"Yes, Sir." He moved to the door, but paused before opening it. "By the way, am I still to escort her to the Ball?"

Philionel eyed him for a moment before answering, "Of course, son. But I'll be watching you." He smirked and then dismissed him with a wave.

Zelgadiss left the courthouse filled with a mixture of relief and dismay, but ultimately settled on a strong sense of anticipation at being able to move forward with this case. And the Judge was right: the sooner it was over with, the sooner he could move on with his life and finally be with Amelia.

oOoOoOoOoOo

_Technically_, they weren't related at all. His mother's older step-brother, Uncle Gaav had always been his shady favorite uncle. His mother used to tolerate him, but Val had idolized him. And when his family was destroyed by the Kataart government, only his Uncle had understood the feelings of frustration and wrath and hate that had festered inside of him.

So, Val did the only natural thing for him to do: latch on to his one remaining close relative and be adopted into his life. He had turned his back on his old life and the pain that those memories brought with them._Hate the ones who did this to you. Hate everything, even yourself!_

But after a few years of violence, drugs and crime, Gaav was finally busted and Val was shipped off to live with more distant relations whose ideals were far higher than Gaav's base morals. Filia's family had been nothing but nice to him, fostering him and treating him like their own, but Val had rebelled as much as he could, not wanting to be associated with the 'perfect' family. But then, even_he_ was busted and stuck into juvie.

It was there where he found a pretty girl who had been spoiled and pampered, and he figured that she was a product of too much idle time and too much money. But, slowly, he discovered that it wasn't the case. So, what could have possibly stuck such a person in such a place? The more he discovered about her, the more he found that he liked what he saw, and he began to let go of the hate and the wrath and the frustration within him. Before long, she was a part of his life that he could not do without, and he found himself falling in a way that he never saw coming.

Oh, he still loved her, even to this day, but their timing had been completely wrong. He knew that his love wouldn't be returned the way that he wanted it to be, and instead of turning on that unrequited love and hating her, he accepted his fate quietly and calmly. It was because of her that he had begun to accept what had happened to him and his family, and it was because of her that he was thinking about taking his birth name back. He could not thank her enough for pulling him out of the downward spiral that he had been traveling upon so long ago.

But now, her father was asking him to return to a part of his life that he was trying to distance himself from. Not that he didn't care about his uncle, but he knew how easy it was to fall back into his old bad behavior, and returning to Gaav could mean a return to that life. He found that the set of ideals and morals that he was living by now suited him just fine, as if he had been reborn to a new and better life. And, in order to pay Amelia's dad back for helping to drag him out of the darkness, all he needed to do was say "yes" and allow Gaav back into his life.

So why did he feel that that one little word held so much more behind it than it seemed?

"Val, was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

He looked up from his desk and saw that his English class was now empty and his professor was watching him expectantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor," he said apologetically. "I guess I flaked out and missed your lecture."

She smiled and approached him, sitting down in the desk in front of him. "That's okay. I saw that most of the class missed my lecture. Now, the question is, what's bothering you so much that you didn't even race out of here when class was over like everyone else?" she asked with a smirk.

Professor Mayuko was a nice enough woman, and he actually liked her forward-thinking style of teaching.

"Oh, well, family stuff, you know…"

"'Family stuff,' huh? I know how that can be. Anything you want to talk about?"

"Huh? No, not really. Unless you can help me figure out whether or not to let myself get involved again with a family member who's not really a good person…"

She smirked. "Hey, I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. That's for you to decide."

He picked up his backpack and shook his head at her with a grin. "Gee, thanks for that, Prof," he said sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not a counselor, so I can't help you like that… _but_ if you were reading a book where the main character experienced the same quandary, then I would ask you to consider whether or not the character is strong enough to withstand the bad character's influence, and if he isn't, why isn't he? Are those things that can change, or things that are fundamentally part of the character? What is the driving force behind their reunion? How would it affect the other characters in the story? I've found that when I don't know what I should do, I try to see the bigger picture by viewing my life like a book, so I can have a more unbiased opinion of the situation… well, as unbiased as I can get, that is."

"See my life like a book, huh?"

"Just a suggestion," she smiled. "I hope that you're able to figure it out, Val."

"Yeah, me too."

He bade her goodbye and decided to head to the quad, to sit and think for a bit before heading home. He hadn't been sitting for more than five minutes before he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hi, Val!" Amelia said brightly as she plopped down beside him in the grass.

"Hey, Amelia. How's it going?" The dappled sunlight filtered down through the tree that they were sitting beneath, casting her in a pretty light.

"Oh, not so bad. I'm just waiting for Miss Lina to finish her class."

"Lina? You guys going somewhere?"

"No, I'm catching a ride home with her."

He frowned. "What happened to that guy? Zelgadiss?"

"Oh, he's getting busy with his work now, so I've got to carpool with Miss Lina now."

"Is there something wrong with your bike?"

She shook her head. "No. I… I just want to carpool when I can… It saves the environment, right?"

"Hmm… I suppose…"

Amelia studied him for a moment before frowning. "Okay, what did you do with the _real_ Val?"

"Huh?"

"I just said that carpooling saves the environment, and you just 'Hmm… I suppose'-ed me! This coming from the guy who always read me the riot act whenever I drank a bottle of water because of the plastic."

"Sorry. I guess I'm a little distracted." He glanced at her and an idea sprang to his mind. "Hey, am I the same person, fundamentally, that I was when you first met me?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"When we first met, do you think the person I was inside is the same as today?"

She placed a finger to her lips in thought, glancing skyward as she did so.

"Hmm… I think that who you are now is who you were _before_ I met you, only wiser because of the detour you took along the way. If you weren't truly kind and generous, then I don't think I ever would have become your friend. I think your real nature was just buried under a lot of anger, and once you learned how to remove those unhealthy layers, you were able to find yourself again."

Her gaze returned to him and she asked, "Why are you wondering this now? I figured you already knew all this stuff?"

"I did. I just… Well, I'm just worried that one day I might end up falling victim to those old vices again."

She smiled. "Hmm… You know what? I really like the taste of rum and tequila. Sometimes, the taste just permeates my mouth, even though I haven't had a drink. And it's sometimes hard to stop drinking once I start. I mean, remember my birthday party? If it weren't for you, I probably would have gotten way more drunk than I had been in years. But, you _were_ there; all my friends were there. And that alone kept me straight.

"Your friends won't let you fall," she finished with a smile.

"Do you think I'm strong enough, even without you guys?"

"Of course. You're stronger than you think you are, you know."

He smirked. Leave it to Amelia to not only help him figure out what he was going to do, but to also make him feel better about himself. He was about to ask her to tell her father that his answer was 'yes', when he caught himself. Philionel had specifically asked him to keep this under wraps from everyone, even his family. Man, even _he_ was keeping secrets from Amelia now…

Before long, Lina arrived and tried to talk him into joining them to an 'afternoon snack', but he politely declined, needing to return home to make an important call. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he would find out what it was that Gaav wanted, and the sooner he could move on with his life.

oOoOoOoOo

Gaav ducked through the gate when it buzzed open, and stepped into the prison visiting room. He had been quite bored flipping through television channels in his cell, and was actually relieved that his day had a distraction in the form of a visitor. The prison had been on lockdown for a few days because of some gang incident, and even _he _had begun to become a little stir crazy being stuck in his cell for so long. Thankfully, the inmate in question _didn't_ die because of his injuries and they found the attacker and his weapon, so the warden lifted the lockdown just this morning.

Once again, per his request, the visitor's room was empty, save for the lone figure on the other side of the glass, but Gaav was quite surprised to see that it wasn't Christopher or the older Seyruun brother. In fact, the slight figure that met him seemed very familiar, though he had never met him before. He smiled when he realized who it was.

"So, the Greywords enters the stage," he said aloud, chuckling to himself.

He took his time settling into his chair before picking up the phone. The young man picked up the phone and began to speak before he had a chance to say anything.

"Marion Gaav?"

He almost growled with annoyance. Why did everyone insist on mispronouncing his name? So what if it's spelled that way?

"It's pronounced 'mah-ree-oo-oh'. The 'n' is silent."

"Oh… I'm sorry," he said, making a note in his little book with a little smirk. He didn't sound very sorry at all, and if Gaav was correct, it seemed as if this little shit already knew how to pronounce his name correctly.

Wow. Nothing like his grandfather. Maybe more like his father after all…

"Just 'Gaav' is fine," he grumbled.

"Okay. Gaav, I'm Detective Zelgadiss Greywords with the Saillune Police Department, and I'd like to ask you some questions, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind. Ask away. Whether I answer depends on what they're about, of course."

The kid smirked. "Of course."

Gaav sat back and waited for the questions, most likely about his 'organization' or his 'non-involvement' in it. They always tried to trip him up, to get him to slip and disclose information about how he's able to still influence his underlings from inside prison, but what no one knew or understood was that he had truly _no_ influence on the dealings of his former associates. No one understood that when he was incarcerated, all of his real power disappeared.

Oh, he talked the talk and walked the walk, but his power was virtually non-existent. People did him favors simply because he had friends on the outside who would always 'help' out anyone who mentioned his name, but none of them really owed him anything. It was his huge reputation as a crime boss, as well as the fact that the loyalty he instilled in people went far beyond him being confined to concrete walls. In this instance, cutting off the head of the snake didn't actually destroy the beast. It could run just fine without him.

Thankfully, no one yet realized this simple fact.

"Are you aware that your son is very good friends with Amelia Seyruun?" Greywords asked.

_That_ question took him completely by surprise.

"I might have heard something about that before," he said without hesitation, although his mind was racing with its hidden meaning.

"From what I understand, they are quite close, in fact. Now, I'm not quite sure if they're 'dating' or if it's a case of 'friends with benefits', but they seem to care about each other quite a bit."

And_ this_, he didn't know. "And your point is?"

"Well, let's put that aside for a moment." Greywords pulled out a manila folder and opened it on the desk before him. Gaav feigned indifference, but he really wanted to know what the hell this had to do with Val. "Now, I've been doing some research on a few of our older files, and I noticed that your involvement in the _Saillune v. Zanafaar_ case was determined to be circumstantial."

At the sudden switch in topic, Gaav had to throw his mind into another gear. "Hmph… _That_ case. Well, that was about four months out of my life that I'd like to have back, you know."

He smirked. "I'll see what I can do about that _if_ you help me out, Gaav."

"Funny. What's four months out of a forty year sentence?"

He shrugged. "Well, to be honest, I don't really have anything to offer you in exchange for your help with my case, unless there's anything you might need?"

Gaav frowned. "You jump around like a flea, Detective. What's your real question, and maybe I'll think about what that might be."

"I'm currently working on a case that involves Val's friend, Amelia Seyruun. There have been some threats, quite like the ones that Victoria Seyruun received during the trial versus Zanafaar. She was the prosecuting attorney."

Gaav frowned. "And you think that has something to do with me?"

"In a roundabout way, yes."

"I didn't have anything to do with those threats before, just like it says in your little file," he said, pointing through the glass at the folder in front of him.

"Oh, I didn't say that you were the one sending the threats, Gaav." Greywords smirked again, and Gaav wanted to smack him hard. "I'm just wondering if there was anything that you might be doing that could have garnered the attention of someone who would threaten a girl who is important to your son, maybe someone you were working with before."

What? There was _no_ way. No way _anyone_ could really know that he had been trying to sell his secrets. Neither of the Seyruun men had been involved in his secrets, and it was at _their_ request that their current dealings be kept under wraps, so there couldn't have been a leak. But, what if Greywords was right and _that person_ knew?

After all, this was the way it was done. It never began as a direct action; it was always blackmail first and _then _consequences.

After all these years, he couldn't be on the short list now, could he? Of course, Greywords could well be playing him, trying to get him to admit to something. Or hell, he could even be working _with_ Philionel Seyruun, but that didn't really matter anymore. Things were in motion, and whether it was as Greywords said, or if it was a ploy, nothing could stop things now.

Of course, this was what he wanted after all. With a grim smile, he decided it was time to hang the world out to dry. Now if only he could manage to stay alive long enough to see it burn…

"Kid," he said, leaning close to the glass. "If what you're saying is true, then my days are numbered. Whether 'they' hurt this girl, or 'they' hurt my boy, nothing I can do, really."

"Well, you could always tell me who might want to get at you, and we can see if we can stop it…"

Gaav laughed, a booming sound that echoed through the prison.

"And what makes you think I want to stop it?"

Zelgadiss frowned. "Don't you care about your son?"

"My 'son'? You don't get it, do you? Unfortunately, Val is turning out to be just like his parents after all. As much as I would have liked him to stand up for himself and take revenge on all the people who've wronged him, it looks like he's taking the 'turn-the-other-cheek' stand instead. I can't help him anymore if he's turning his back on his one relative who's done more for him than he knows."

"But innocent people could get hurt…"

Gaav shrugged his wide shoulders, leaning back in his chair before continuing. "Innocent people get hurt all the time, kid. You need to get it through your head that I don't care."

"Then what can I do to make you care? What do you want?" He sounded a little desperate.

"You want to deal? Fine! Then the answer's easy. Get me out."

"Impossible," he spat.

Gaav crossed his arms. "Then you'll just have to deal with the consequences."

It was clear that Zelgadiss was extremely frustrated, and Gaav smiled. "Amelia Seyruun _is_ in trouble, isn't she?" he asked.

Zelgadiss' eyes narrowed. "That's not under discussion."

"And my boy _isn't_ in trouble, right?" Zelgadiss shifted uncomfortably. _Bingo!_ "You wanted to see if I really had anything to do with these 'threats', right? You connected dots that don't go together so you could get information from me, right?"

The detective closed the folder angrily. "I'm done here," he said, and then slammed the phone down in the cradle.

Gaav laughed, realizing that although he had been played by this young upstart, he had found a way to cause more destruction than he had thought of before. He decided that he didn't need the Seyruun's help after all. Instead of getting to see Val in order to direct him to unwittingly do his bidding, he could use this hot-headed young detective instead. After all, he was already involved in it, whether or not he really realized it.

All he had to do was open the door.

He knocked on the glass divider, catching Greyword's attention as he was putting away his little file. Reluctantly, the young man picked up the phone.

"What?" he asked.

"Since you were able to pull one over on me, I'll give you a freebie, _Detective_ Zelgadiss Greywords."

"What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'll clue you in to a secret."

"Why? If you expect me to believe that you'll give me information simply because I tricked you, then I'm hanging up the phone. What do you really want?"

Gaav smiled, a wide grin that exposed his perfectly white teeth.

"Chaos."

"What?" Zelgadiss asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"There are some secrets in the world could destroy the very foundations of a city. It's only a matter of time before these long-buried truths see the light of day, and when they do, chaos can rule supreme."

"And you want to tell _me_ these secrets?"

He held up a finger. "_One_ secret."

"Why me?"

"Because you're a Greywords, Zelgadiss, and you came to see me while working on the Seyruun case. You're already half-way there."

Zelgadiss narrowed his eyes. "And if I told you that I have some friends: Metallium and Inverse?"

Gaav laughed again. This kid was better than he had first thought.

"Then I'd say that you're a lot like your father and that you're a lot closer to this thing than you think. There are more names, but you'll have to figure those out for yourself."

"Of course… So I take it you won't just come out and tell me what this secret of yours is?"

"I told you I'd give you a clue, not the secret itself. And, for your own sake, I'd suggest you don't go poking around the police department with this information unless you want to end up like your parents."

"_What_?"

"Trust me, kid. If you're willing to follow in your father's footsteps, you need to be willing to take the same risks he did. But don't make the same mistake he did: don't trust _anyone _and that includes the 'good guys'."

"And even you?"

He nodded. "Even me. But I don't have anything to lose, and there are people out there who do. Take it or leave it."

Zelgadiss thought for a moment before leaning forward, a look of grim determination on his face. "I'll take it."

"There's no going back once I say it."

"Just tell me," he growled. Just like a bulldog.

"_Darkstar_."

"'Darkstar'? What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Ha ha ha! You're the detective. Figure it out! But until then, you can tell Seyruun that I've got nothing to do with his kid's problems. His wife might have, but I certainly didn't."

"His wife? She's been…"

"'Dead?' Yeah, for a while now, too. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't her fault."

"Then you _do_ know something about those threats?"

"Kid, I don't need to know the specifics to know that _that_ family is in the middle of some pretty serious shit. They always have been, you know. But some stick their noses a little farther out than others, and _they're_ responsible for a lot of this crap."

Zelgadiss was quiet for a moment while he thought about everything they talked about. After a minute, he shook his head with a smirk.

"'Darkstar', huh?"

"Yep."

"You know, Gaav, I'm sure you've got a lot of information in that huge head of yours. Try to keep it on your shoulders until I come back, okay?"

Gaav raised a bushy red eyebrow. "You're coming back?"

Zelgadiss smirked. "Sure. After all, I have to see about getting you out, right? Next time I'm here, though, I'll need more."

They sat staring for a moment, sizing each other up. Then Gaav said, "Sure, kid. I think you've got the balls your dad didn't have. Hurry up, though. I don't know how long I'll last in here once you start poking around." Finished with the conversation, he hung up his phone.

Zelgadiss nodded, and Gaav watched him gather his belongings and leave. He wasn't sure if the detective truly understood their confusing little chat. Hell, he wasn't sure if _he_ understood it, but he knew that he had just tossed a stone into a pond. It was only a matter of time before the ripples reached him.

oOoOoOo

Zelgadiss carefully opened the cardboard storage box on his coffee table. After returning home from the prison in the desert, he had spent the remainder of the day rummaging through his garage looking for it: a box of mementos from his parents.

He pulled out an old photo album and a binder filled with plastic-covered pages. It was the latter that he inspected first.

There were letters from his parents to each other, some filled with words of love and some with simple observations. There were also notes about chores, about him or his grandfather, and even about their jobs. Zelgadiss had kept them all, and placed them carefully in plastic sleeves and a binder in a hope to preserve a bit of their lives. It was painful to remember them and the fact that they were gone, but this binder also brought a bit of peace, a bit of a happier and more innocent time.

But, as he leafed through the pages in search of the word that he remembered seeing somewhere in these pages, he slowly discovered that there was a certain timbre to his father's words in the final month of his life. His parents were aware of _something_ and they were worried for their safety. Zelgadiss had been completely unaware of anything wrong, but _they_ knew that they were treading on thin ice.

Finally, Zelgadiss found the page that he had been looking for, and as he scanned the page, he realized that the answer for a lot of things had been in his possession for years…

_Son,_

_I hope you understand that it's not that I don't believe you are good enough for this. I just don't want you to get in too deep. I know that you are a cop, through and through, but Darkstar might be too much, even for you. You have a family now, and you're in a dangerous enough job as it is. Please don't add another weight to your shoulders. Leave it to the eight of us instead._

_Dad_

Zelgadiss resisted the urge to crumple the page in his hand. So, it seemed that Rezo knew about Gaav's little secret, and perhaps the threats to Amelia and her family. Zelgadiss ground his teeth in determination.

Maybe it was time to face his grandfather, once and for all.

oOoOoOoOo

A/N: I am so very sorry that this has taken so long to get out. If you're reading this, I thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart that you've gutted it out and stuck with this story. I read and appreciate every review that I get - they keep me inspired to finish this lengthy story. _Hugs!_

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